Fauvism was a 20th century artistic movement which was initially inspired by Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin and Paul Cézanne. The style was based around the concept that rich colors were a medium utilized to depict space and light whilst simultaneously expressing the artist’s mood. The colors employed in the paintings no longer reflected the colors seen in nature. A differentiating aspect of Fauvist works is that the canvas appears flat as the minimal forms combined with the strong colors eliminated a strong sense of perspective. Fauvist works are strongly independent, unique works as ultimately the work reflects the individual artist and his particular emotional state. Concurrent to Matisse’s experimentation with post-impressionist technique; André Derain and Maurice de Vlaminck were sharing a studio in a suburb of Paris establishing their use of saturated colors. Matisse met Vlaminck and Derain and supported their work. The artists exhibited their work and their brushstroke and color palate inspired a critic to call the exhibition "Donatello parmi les fauves" which means Donatello among the wild beasts. The phrase was not meant as a compliment but the name nevertheless stuck. Four works from the Triumph of Color: important works from a private European collection allow us an insight into the Fauvist style. – Josefina Wollak
