Maurice de Vlaminck

Maurice de Vlaminck was a French painter and writer, best known for his role as one of the leading figures of the Fauvist movement. 

Biography of Maurice de Vlaminck

Maurice de Vlaminck was born in 1876 in Paris, into a working-class family with a musical background. His father, Edmond Julien, taught violin, and his mother, Joséphine Caroline Grillet, taught piano. At the age of three, his family relocated to Le Vesinet, a town approximately 10 miles northwest of Paris, where they lived with his grandmother.

Initially, Vlaminck did not envision a career as a professional artist.

Despite this, he received painting lessons from academic artists between 1888 and 1891 as part of his education. In 1893, he also studied under a local painter, Henri Rigalon. Before committing to painting full-time, he pursued various careers to support his family.

Vlaminck developed a reputation as a loudmouth, troublemaker, and womanizer, known for his visits to brothels in Paris. Despite this scandalous reputation, he married Suzanne Berly in 1894. Less than a year later, they started a family and eventually had three daughters.

Tall and powerfully built, Vlaminck sometimes supplemented his income with amateur boxing. His athletic abilities led to his success as a professional racer in 1893, during the rise of cycling's popularity. In 1896, Vlaminck's cycling career abruptly ended when he contracted typhoid fever. After recovering, he fulfilled his military service, serving in the regimental band. His time in the army left little room for painting, with his earliest known work being a decoration for the regimental fête in 1899. During his service, Vlaminck also contributed articles to radical magazines like Fin de siècle and L'anarchie.

In 1900, after completing his military service, Vlaminck had a chance encounter with André Derain on a train following a minor railcar accident. The two quickly formed a close friendship and began collaborating. Despite opposition from Derain's parents who disapproved of their son's association with a "bohemian anarchist," the duo continued to work together. Vlaminck was even prohibited from entering the Derain household. It is said that Derain would display his paintings outside his window for Vlaminck to offer his critique. They eventually rented a studio in Chatou and maintained it for a couple of years.

During 1902 and 1903, Vlaminck authored pornographic novels that Derain illustrated. While pursuing his passion for painting, Vlaminck also gave violin lessons in the evenings and played with musical bands at night to earn money.

While Derain and Vlaminck were already painting in the Fauvist style, Matisse encouraged them to exhibit with him in 1905 at the Salon des Indépendents. In 1901, Vlaminck and Matisse met for the first time. However, their paths did not cross again until 1905, after Derain returned from his military service and invited Matisse to their studio in Chatou. Matisse was struck by Vlaminck's bold use of pure, vivid colors.

At the Salon des Indépendents, Vlaminck sold only one painting. He also exhibited at the 1905 Salon d'Automne, where his work was displayed in a section labeled 'Cage aux Fauves' (Cage of Wild Beasts) by art critic Louis Vauxcelles, who unwittingly coined the movement's name. Vauxcelles described Vlaminck and Derain's use of color as "charges of dynamite" and referred to them as "Incohérents."

Matisse introduced Vlaminck to Ambroise Vollard, a prominent art dealer of the early 20th century. After seeing Vlaminck's work, Vollard purchased the contents of his studio and organized a solo exhibition for him the following year. With Vollard's backing, Vlaminck could leave teaching behind and devote himself entirely to his career as a professional artist. Following the birth of their third daughter, he and Suzanne separated, and he married one of his students, Berthe Combe, a fashion designer. 

In 1908, Vlaminck's artistic style underwent a significant shift; his palette turned darker and almost monochromatic, showing the clear influence of Cézanne. He briefly dabbled in Cubism, despite denying any real interest in the movement. Vlaminck's resentment towards Cubism stemmed from his belief that the style had taken over the role of Fauvism in the evolution of modern art. He particularly blamed Picasso, whom he considered "a trickster and an imposter."

Despite his harsh criticisms, Vlaminck claimed in his book "Tournant dangereux" (1929) that he played a direct role in the birth of Cubism during a "lively art discussion" at a small bistro. While he did introduce Derain to the inspirational African sculptures in Argenteuil in 1902 and even sold a mask to Derain, his direct involvement in the movement was brief.

At the outset of the First World War, Vlaminck was mobilized but managed to avoid combat by serving in support roles near Paris. After the war ended, he held his second solo exhibition in 1919. 

Critics often fault Vlaminck's later works for their repetitiveness and perceived lack of innovation. He moved away from the vibrant style of his early Fauvist paintings, instead focusing on monochromatic rural scenes. Despite these critiques, Vlaminck experienced considerable success during the interwar period. Several books were written about his work, and in 1933, he was honored with a retrospective at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In 1937, his art was featured in the Exposition des Artistes Indépendants at the Petit Palais, held in conjunction with the Paris Exposition Universelle.

Vlaminck's rising success caught the attention of the Germans during the Second World War, leading to an invitation to join a group of French artists touring for the Third Reich. During his travels in Nazi Germany, he authored "Portraits avant décès," a book in which he criticized modern art. While many of these criticisms were voiced as early as 1937, the publication of the book during a time of direct threats by the Nazis on many artists led to him being labeled a traitor.

In June 1942, Vlaminck further condemned Cubism and Picasso in an article published in the daily journal, Comœdia. He described Picasso as "this Catalan with the face of a monk and the eyes of an inquisitor who never speaks of art without a private smile showing on his lips." Vlaminck accused Picasso of committing an "unforgivable sin" by promoting Cubism. He went on to assert that "Pablo Picasso is guilty of having forced French painting into the most fatal of impasses, into indescribable confusion." Vlaminck's harsh words, equating Cubism to "negativism" and "impotence," stirred controversy.

Following the liberation of France, Vlaminck was arrested and interrogated due to his alleged involvement with the German propaganda campaign. Although he was not prosecuted for his actions, his reputation suffered significant damage as a result.

Despite the controversy surrounding Vlaminck and his tarnished reputation, he continued to actively participate in the art world. He took part in the Fauvist Exhibition of 1947 and the prestigious Venice Biennale in 1956. In 1955, he was elected as a member of Belgium's Royal Academy. Maurice de Vlaminck continued to paint and write until he died in 1958.