The Fauves’ were a small group of artists who, shortly after the turn of the 20th century, exploded onto the artistic scene with a wild, vibrant style that shocked it’s critics. They were called the ‘fauves, French for wild beast,’ as a term of derision to indicate their apparent lack of discipline.

The main artists involved in the fauve movement were Matisse, Derain, Vlaminck, Braque and Dufy. They developed a style of painting, which consisted of broad, short strokes of bright contrasting colour.

The fauve movement did not last for long. Its high spot was from 1905-7, but this short-lived style, is recognized as paving the way to both cubism and modern expressionism in its disregard for natural forms and love of vibrant colour.