Autumn Landscape
Maurice de Vlaminck
French, 1876–1958
c. 1905
An oil painting of a fiery autumn countryside in which Vlaminck abandons literal color to use aggressive, expressive hues and broad brushwork to convey the feeling of the place rather than an exact likeness.
You are first struck by a foreground of blazing reds and oranges scored with deep blue accents that thrust forward against a cooler band of greens and purples at the horizon, the paint applied thickly in energetic, almost calligraphic strokes.
Made around 1905, this work is a clear example of Fauvism’s break with naturalistic color—Vlaminck’s bold, arbitrary palette and textured handling helped push painting toward greater emotional directness and eventual abstraction.
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
18 1/4 x 21 3/4" (46.2 x 55.2 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of Nate B. and Frances Spingold
Accession
80.1958
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
