André Derain (1880 - 1954)

National Gallery of Art

At the turn of the last century, London was a bustling city. Its famous fog—actually the effects of heavy pollution—created an otherworldly atmosphere that artists sought to capture in paint. In this view of Charing Cross Bridge, André Derain used green to depict the Houses of Parliament in the distance, and to the right, the taller tower of Big Ben.

In this work, the artist emphasizes the industrial aspects of the Thames. We see the city at work. It’s aggressive, jostling. There is a battle of colors. Different types of strokes compete for our attention. Where is your eye drawn first? With these chaotic, aggressive brushstrokes, perhaps Derain was attempting to convey something about London itself. By rendering the landscape in high-keyed colors far removed from reality, he shows the city as a series of nearly abstract shapes.

See "Charing Cross Bridge, London" on the Mezzanine in our newly reopened East Building: http://go.usa.gov/xkyev.

André Derain, "Charing Cross Bridge, London," 1906, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington, John Hay Whitney Collection

André Derain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/André_Derain

Centre Pompidou

MUSÉE | Le week-end approche : embarquez pour un tour ensoleillé dans les collections du musée, avec André Derain, l'un des fondateurs du fauvisme.

N'oubliez pas : tous les samedis et dimanches du mois d'août, à 16h, des conférences en 90 minutes chrono sont proposées aux visiteurs :www.centrepompidou.fr/id/c6bK4r/rLr5oGM/fr

André Derain (1880 - 1954) 
Les deux péniches
(Les Péniches ; Londres : les deux péniches)
[1906]
Huile sur toile
80 x 97,5 cm
© Philippe Migeat - Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI /Dist. RMN-GP
© Adagp, Paris