Bust of a Woman 1914

Andre Derain made this ‘Bust of a Woman’ with oil on canvas; I love how Derain fearlessly lays down these strokes. There’s something so satisfying about seeing a painter who isn't afraid to let their process show. The colors here are earthy, and the brushwork feels so present – you can practically see Derain wrestling with the paint. Look at the way he models the face with these chunks of brown and pink, not blended, but kind of stacked on top of each other. See how the white of the blouse has a sort of green tinge to it? This creates a sense of depth, but also of the realness of the scene. The background is smudgy, like it’s not about a real place. It's like Derain is saying, “I’m not trying to trick you into thinking this is real; this is paint, and it's here to make you feel something.” It puts me in mind of some of the earthier Fauvist portraits by Matisse, even though Derain is doing something all his own. Art is all about that kind of conversation, don't you think?