Maurice de Vlaminck (French, 1876–1958)
Oil on canvas
32 1/2 x 40 1/8 in. (82.6 x 101.9 cm)
Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection, 1998 (1999.363.84)
In Vlaminck's time, Chatou, now a suburb of Paris, was a small village situated to the west, along the Seine. Opposite lies the Île de Chatou, a long, narrow stretch of land in the center of the river. The scene shown here appears to have been observed from a point on the island facing the village with its red-roofed houses. Vlaminck and his friend Derain had shared a studio on the Île de Chatou since 1901, forming what has been called the "School of Chatou." Their painting style—characterized by bright colors and bold brushstrokes—became the harbinger of Fauvism. In this work, Vlaminck used the primary colors of blue and red with white, applying them directly from the tube in daubs and swirls of pigment.
