The portrait of woman 1913

Andre Derain made this portrait with oil on canvas. Look at that incredible, almost brutal blue, roughly brushed and streaked with white. I feel as though I am standing right next to Derain in his studio, watching the painting take shape. Was he thinking about Van Gogh when he daubed those fierce strokes? Did he keep in mind Matisse’s radical colours when he chose the colour palette? I wonder if Derain felt the weight of art history on his shoulders as he built up the face. The skin tone of the face and hands are applied with such warmth that makes the electric blue seem to float. That rapid gesture, like the shadow on the wall in the upper left, is so casual, yet so evocative. The hand is so present and close to us. Each brushstroke feels like a conversation starter.