Andre Derain (1880 - 1954) France

Watercolor on Paper
Measure 12 1/4"in H x 8 1/4"in W and 17 1/2"in H x 13 1/2"in W with frame
Known for: Paintings, sculpture-fauve and pointillism
Andre Derain was born in 1880 at Chatou, which was then a kind of artists' colony at the gates of Paris. His father was a successful patissier (pastry chef) and a town councillor and Derain was given a middle-class education. By the time he was forty, he was one of the most successful painters in Paris. But by the end of World War II, Derain's name usually came up only to be dismissed with a shrug. Derain's father was prosperous enough to want his son to have the most respectable of careers, preferably engineering. But Andre was already painting, and his best friend was the young ruffian Maurice Vlaminck, whom Papa Derain would not let into the house. Then one day an older painter by the name of Henri Matisse saw some of Andre's work, spoke so glowingly of his talents and prospects that Derain's father finally relented. Maurice and Andre rented a shack on an island in the Seine and their careers finally began. Relationships between him and his wife became increasingly worse. He had another affair with a model and a second illegitimate child was born whom he dared not acknowledge Cynical, bitter and physically gross, he withdrew to his country mansion to pursue his favorite hobbies: speeding in his Bugatti sports car and gorging himself on food. His wife left him and when he made headlines in 1954 after being hit by a car; many art lovers thought he was already dead. Two months later he was - one of the loneliest figures in the entire turbulent history of modern art.

Coral Gables Auction strongly encourages in-person inspection of items by the bidder.
Statements by Coral Gables Auction regarding the condition of objects are for guidance only And should Not be relied upon as statements of fact, and do Not constitute a representation, warranty, Or assumption of liability by Coral Gables Auction.

All lots offered are sold "As Is".
For condition report please contact our auction house via email info.coralgablesauction@yahoo.com