Follow in the footsteps of Henri Matisse and André Derain!
Why were the Fauvism painters so inspired in the summer of 1905 to paint over 100 artworks in one summer? Why did their paintings cause such a stir at the Salon d’Automne?
In 1905, Collioure was a typical fishing port on the Catalan coast. After these two great masters had passed through the town, Collioure became known internationally as the “City of Painters”.
Discover the fascinating history of Fauvism, past and present!
Quote by Henri Matisse:
« In France there is no sky as blue as the one in Collioure… I just have to close the shutters of my room and I have all the colors of the Mediterranean before me. »
In Fauvism, colour is key! 🎨
“Fauvism” is based on emotion and colour taken to the extreme, which was a complete contradiction with other techniques of the time. During the summer of 1905, Henri Matisse and André Derain experimented with a new way of painting: painting was no longer used to reproduce reality but to express emotion. With their new technique, their brush lines are simplified and the colours used are pure and expressive.
Fauvism was our ordeal by fire. Colours became charges of dynamite. They were expected to charge light"
Collioure, an artistic turning point for many artists in the early 20th century!
In 1905, Henri Matisse wanted to turn his artistic career around. On the advice of his friend, the painter Paul Signac, he went to Collioure in the spring of that year. He was astonished by this small village, with its natural beauty and charm. Collioure, a town steeped in history, bordered by sea and mountains and surrounded by terraced vineyards, became his main source of inspiration. Meetings with Roussillon artists and scholars Etienne Terrus, Aristide Maillol and Daniel de Monfreid, as well as the visit of painter André Derain, all contributed to the creation of a new pictorial movement.
Inspiration galore!
In less than three months, Henri Matisse painted more than 15 canvases, 40 watercolours and produced around a hundred drawings. André Derain produced 30 paintings, 20 drawings and around fifty sketches. Both artists found in Collioure the inspiration they needed to create this innovative pictorial movement.
The Salon d’Automne
In the autumn of that year, Henri Matisse and André Derain exhibited their work from Collioure in the Salon d’Automne in Paris. These paintings caused a scandal and sent shockwaves through the artistic world. Art critic Louis Vauxelles described it as “Donatello among the wild animals”.
The term “Fauvism” (fauve = wild animal in French) was thus born to describe this new movement, which broke away from the pictorial rules of the 19th century and paved the way for the artistic upheavals of the 20th century.
Henri Matisse became the leader of this movement, which brought together painters such as André Derain, Raoul Dufy, Maurice de Vlaminck, Georges Braque, Charles Camoin, Albert Marquet and Kees Van Dongen.
"Fauvism came from the fact that we were moving away from imitating colours and that we were getting stronger reactions with pure colours. "
An international reputation
The canvases painted by Matisse and Derain were bought by art collectors and enabled them to acquire a certain notoriety. These paintings, now exhibited in major museums around the world, have contributed to Collioure’s fame.
Discover “The Fauvism Trail” in Collioure!
Relive the summer of 1905 in the company of the 2 painters by following the Fauvism Trail in Collioure! A journey lined with reproductions of artworks by Henri Matisse and André Derain.
- Discover the Fauvism trail on your own, following the paintings you pass by along the way. A booklet dedicated to the Fauvism Trail is also on sale at the Tourist Office or at the Vitrine sur le Fauvisme
- Take part in a guided walking tour along the Fauvism Trail or in a family workshop.
Innovative tools and a shop dedicated to Fauvism in Collioure!
Discover these initiatives at the Vitrine sur le Fauvisme, a shop with multiple functions!
- The “artistic constellation” digital terminal is a fun tool that is not to be missed, set up at the Vitrine sur le Fauvisme venue.
- The must-have application to download “Collioure, the journey begins”, an original and unusual way to explore Collioure through art and history
- The Vitrine sur le Fauvisme shop is the departure point for guided walking tours and a shop selling specialist books on art and history in Collioure
Thank you to our partners!
The Collioure Tourist Office would like to thank all the partners who helped make this project a reality, promoting culture and art through digital technology: The Occitanie Region, the AAPR and the town of Collioure. This project is co-financed by the Fonds Européen de Développement Régional Grands Sites Occitanie.
Key information before coming to Collioure
How to get to Collioure ?
Here you’ll find all the information you need to get to Collioure and around Collioure
What’s the weather like in Collioure ?
Click here to see the weather forecast for Collioure
What are the market days in Collioure?
The Collioure market takes place on Wednesday mornings and Sunday mornings at the Place du Maréchal Leclerc. Find out more about the markets
Is there a page with all the frequently asked questions?
Click here for a list of frequently asked questions.
Can I download the Collioure brochures?
Find all our brochures here
Can I download a map of Collioure?
Find the map of Collioure here
Is there a cultural application for Collioure?
For more information on the Collioure application, click here
