Where Fauvism Was Born: Matisse, Derain, and the Summer of 1905 in the South of France

Collioure has long been one of my favorite spots in the South of France. With its vibrant Mediterranean light, colorful harbor, and streets, it’s easy to see why artists have been drawn here for more than a century. During my visits to Collioure, I’ve photographed many of the scenes that have inspired—and still inspire—painters from all over the world. I feel a special connection to the small coastal town, which led me to explore the story of an extraordinary “happening” in the summer of 1905.

The Place That Changed Art Forever

That summer, in 1905, Collioure became the birthplace of Fauvism, an art movement that shattered the conventions of painting and set the stage for modern art as we know it today. Before Fauvism, artists focused mainly on capturing reality with careful detail and shading. But here, in this radiant light, artists began to use color in a new, unexpected way—bright, unnatural colors that expressed feeling rather than copying what the eye sees.

The Meeting of Two Artists and a New Vision

Henri Matisse was in his mid-30s when he first arrived in Collioure, drawn by the town’s extraordinary light. André Derain, a few years younger, had recently become his friend after they met studying art in Paris. Both had trained at the Académie Julian and moved through the vibrant Paris art scene, where Impressionism and Post-Impressionism were already challenging traditional art forms. Together, they shared a curiosity about new ways to paint.

That summer, Matisse invited Derain to join him, and they set up their easels side by side along the harbor. Painting the same scenes, their work took on radically different tones—intense blues, fiery reds, electric oranges—that broke away from naturalistic color and realism. The atmosphere of Collioure, the sunlight on the water and buildings, seemed to fuel their daring approach.

How They Inspired Each Other

Matisse and Derain pushed each other to experiment boldly. Derain’s Fishing Boats, Collioure, bursts with vivid reds and deep blues, while Matisse’s Open Window, Collioure, transforms the harbor view into abstract shapes glowing with pinks and blues. Their collaboration that summer was more than a coincidence—it was a creative dialogue that shaped Fauvism’s radical break from tradition.

Fauvism: Color as Feeling

As Matisse famously said, “When I put a green, it is not grass. When I put a blue, it is not the sky.” This idea—that color is about feeling and expression, not literal representation—was born in Collioure’s sunlit streets. It changed the way the world thinks about painting and paved the way for much of modern art to follow.

From Collioure to Paris and Beyond

After that summer, both artists returned to Paris, where their Fauvist works were exhibited at the 1905 Salon d’Automne. The bright, unrestrained colors shocked critics and audiences, instantly marking Fauvism as a revolutionary force in the art world, earning Matisse and Derain the nickname “Fauves,” or “wild beasts,” for their fierce use of color. Fauvism itself was short-lived, lasting only a few years, but its influence endured. Matisse and Derain continued to evolve their styles, but the summer of 1905 remained a defining moment for both and the world.

Artists Who Followed Their Lead

The bold colors and expressive freedom Fauvism introduced went on to influence generations of artists who followed—think Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, who pushed Cubism into the spotlight, and later abstract artists like Mark Rothko. Fauvism’s break from strict realism opened the door to modern art as we know it today, making that summer in Collioure not just a fleeting moment but a pivotal turning point in art history.

Where to See Fauvist Masterpieces Today

You can find a significant collection of Fauvist artworks at Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (MAM. In its permanent collection are masterpieces by not only Matisse and Derain, but also Raoul Dufy, Maurice de Vlaminck, and Georges Braque. Matisse’s Open Window, Collioure is part of the collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., while Derain’s Fishing Boats, Collioure is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Visit Collioure

Maybe I’ll see you there!