Figures from a Carnival 1906

Andre Derain made this small painting, Figures from a Carnival, with gouache on paper and it feels like a moment captured on the fly. The brushwork is playful, bold, with red, blue, green, black, and white. I can imagine Derain dabbing quickly with the brush, trying to keep up with the fleeting impressions of the carnival. I love how the figures jostle against each other, each a vibrant, gestural shorthand for a person in costume. Look at the figure in the red and white striped suit, how the lines curve and bend, giving a real sense of movement. Or, the way the blue is dragged to create a gown. It's tempting to think of other artists, like Ensor, who were also drawn to the spectacle of carnival. Ultimately Derain reminds us that painting is a conversation, an exchange of ideas across time. Each artist inspires the next, bringing their own unique vision to the canvas.