Jean Metzinger
French, 1883-1956
Landscape
oil on canvas, 1904
Ackland Fund, 60.26.1
This
early landscape by Metzinger shows his roots in Fauvism. Inscribed on the
reverse of
the canvas is the date 1904, indicating that it was painted soon after
Metzinger's arrival in Paris, at the height of the Fauvist movement led by
Matisse. Fauve painting is characterized by brilliant color and simplified
forms, celebrating emotions inspired by nature, as opposed to the
imitation of nature. Metzinger once described Fauvist painting as "taking
our hint from Nature, to construct decoratively pleasing harmonies and
symphonies expressive of our sentiment."
In this landscape, the vibrant color patches are far from naturalistic,
depicting instead the exuberance inspired in the artist by the scene. The
short, broad brushstrokes add a rhythmic pattern to the canvas, energizing
the negative spaces as well as the solid forms. The result transforms
notions of time and space to show intensity, radiance, and joy in the
experience of nature.
