Copy painting on canvas of the artwork
The Gavotte (Derain)

This gouache represents a “Gavotte”, an old dance, reinterpreted here with the freedom and joy of Fauvism. In a simplified landscape with a large blue tree, couples dance with infectious energy. The forms are simply sketched, the colors are applied in bright, flat areas, the yellow and white of the dresses contrasting with the green of the ground. Derain captures the spirit of the dance, its movement, and its sociability, through a direct and spontaneous pictorial language. It is a charming and lively scene, showing that Fauvism is not only about the violence of colors but also a celebration of the joy of life.