Andre Derain – The Turning Road, L'Estaque (ca. 1906)
Oil on Canvas, Fauvism
Size: 4'2.5" × 6'4.5"
Genre: Landscape
Origin: France
Currently: Beck Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
The painting done by Andre Derain speaks clearly of the movement it dwells in for many reasons. The identity of a Fauve painting was predominantly expressed through the use of bright colors, which is very vivid in this particular piece. The colors are not only vibrant and attractive but also used in complementary pairs from the color wheel. Derain incorporates oranges with blues and reds with greens. This color contradiction is highlighted throughout the painting with the orange tree trunks and multicolored leaves in shades of blue, green, and red.
As a landscape, the forms of the structure are differentiated through color rather than outlines or fine strokes. Derain used broken brushstrokes—swift, flat daubs of color—as his painterly style to express the emotions behind the painting. When viewed from a distance with squinted eyes, the piece appears like a collage of colorful shapes placed together within one frame.
Figures occupy the lower half of the painting, and much like those in Henri Matisse’s Joy of Life, they are elongated and disproportionate. Facial features are absent, and gender distinctions appear only through the way the clothing takes shape on the bodies. Every figure in the painting seems to head toward the big blue path—the river. The curving trees along the path emphasize the meaning behind the title, The Turning Road.
Overall, the painting maintains a consistent sense of depth between foreground and background. Shadows are represented not through naturalistic blending but rather through dramatic variations in color—another hallmark of Fauvism.
The Essence of Fauvism
Fauvism was never merely about representing a location, portrait, or still life; rather, it was about expressing the artist’s emotions without strict adherence to academic rules or traditional techniques. Juxtaposition was a key factor in the movement’s approach, and Derain’s work exemplifies this—using color, contrast, and emotion to challenge convention.
Derain was known for his philosophical and spiritual engagement with painting:
“In Derain's ideas it is seldom possible to distinguish the passion for painting from the passion for philosophical and mystical inquiry. His art rises from the necessity in the whole man to penetrate and recreate the mystery of life.”
These words explain the motive behind Derain’s paintings. His works invite mystery—just as The Turning Road leads toward an unknown destination. As part of the Fauvist movement, this painting embodies the spirit of emotional expression, using vibrant complementary colors, disproportionate figures, featureless forms, and a rejection of naturalistic representation.
