Vlaminck, Maurice de

(1876-1958)

   painter, engraver, writer

   One of the founders of fauvism, Maurice de Vlam-inck was born in Paris and was largely self-taught (he once boasted that he had never been inside the louvre). A professional bicyclist, he also worked as a violinist in Gypsy orchestras before becoming an amateur painter. Around 1890, he met andré derain and opened a studio. A rebellious artist, he sought to create by instinct and subjectivity. In 1907, he met henri matisse and was impressed by the work of vincent van gogh. He painted landscapes, urban views, and street scenes in often violent tones and unreal colorations, accentuating his expressive powers (La Péniche, 1905; Les Arbres rouges, 1906). His work eventually caught the attention of paul cézanne (Nature morte, ca. 1907), after which he abandoned his audacious techniques and returned to a more traditional configuration. Vlaminck is the creator of a number of book illustrations, wood block engravings, and lithographs and published various works on art.