Matisse and Terrus by André Derain

This striking work plunges us into the effervescence of café terraces, a theme dear to modern artists of the turn of the century. Through this bold composition, the virtuoso Derain André reinvents the group portrait under the title “Matisse and Terrus” using contrasting and pure tones. Within this setting of popular gatherings, the painter seeks to capture the essence of human relations through a resolutely innovative approach to form.

Two men wearing dark hats are seated around a small wooden bistro table. The figure on the left, dressed in a navy blue jacket, seems to smoke a pipe while observing his companion with a pensive air. His companion on the right, with a well-trimmed red beard, also wears a dark outfit that stands out against a sparkling golden-yellow background. Between them, eclectic objects like glasses or carafes are suggested by colored spots with imprecise outlines. The light, raw and without transition, strikes the faces and clothes, creating intense thermal contrasts between the deep blue and the warm yellow.

The creator’s talent is asserted in the strength of the brushstroke, applied in large generous areas on the canvas. This way of painting, almost raw, reveals great sensitivity and a perfect mastery of the harmony of complementary colors.