Western Art Movements II Art Movements    

Lesson 12: Fauvism (and Cubism) - Prades, the Village (1917)

by Joan Miró

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the artwork's movement.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

The final example of fauvism is Spanish artist Joan Miró's 1917 painting 'Prades, the Village.' Prades is a small village in far southern France near the border with Spain. The painting depicts a view of Prades and the fields and vegetation outside the village. A tall church tower dominates the village skyline. The fields stand out, painted with stripes, curves, and zigzags in bold, contrasting colors. As with the prior featured fauvist works, the painting is brightly colored, abstracted/simplified, and painterly. The painting creation date falls outside the height of fauvism, somewhat unsurprisingly as it blends in elements of cubism, the next movement to be studied.

Vocabulary

Fauvism: An avant-garde style of painting with vivid, unnatural colors, visible brushstrokes, and simplified or abstracted imagery.
Painterly: Having clear brush-strokes.
Cubism: An artistic movement in the early 20th Century characterized by the depiction of natural forms as geometric structures of planes.

Concepts

Featured Movement:

1. Name - Fauvism
2. Peak Prevalence - 1905-1908

Movement Characteristics:

1. Bright, unnatural colors
2. Visible brushstrokes (painterly)
3. Simplified or abstracted images
4. Named by a scandalized art critic who called fauvists 'fauves' (wild beasts)
5. Note the bright colors, visible brushstrokes, and simplified imagery used in 'The Drying Sails' (1905) by André Derain as an example of fauvist characteristics

Common Coinciding Genres:

1. Landscapes - 'Colorful Landscape with Water Birds' (1907) by Jean Metzinger

2. Portraits - 'Portrait of Jean Metzinger' (1906) by Robert Delaunay

3. Cityscapes - 'Charing Cross Bridge, London' (1906) by André Derain

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Find the following in the artwork:

• Foliage
• Prades
• Fields
• Church Tower
• Town Buildings
• Zigzags

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Map the Artwork

Find the Spanish city of Andorra near the border between Spain and France, not too far from the artwork setting of Prades.

Activity 4: Classify the Artwork

• This artwork belongs to the fauvism art movement.
• Find fauvism on the timeline.
• During which approximate years did fauvism flourish?
• Which art movement followed fauvism?

Activity 5: Recreate/Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 15 of 'Fifth Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

What is fauvism?

1 / 8

Answer 1

Fauvism is a style of painting with vivid, unnatural colors, visible brushstrokes (painterly), and simplified or abstracted imagery.

1 / 8

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 8

Answer 2

The setting is in a field outside the village Prades in Southern France.

2 / 8

Question 3

What happens in the artwork?

3 / 8

Answer 3

The artwork shows a view of the village of Prades and its fields.

3 / 8

Question 4

Into which genre does the artwork fall?

4 / 8

Answer 4

The artwork falls into the landscape genre.

4 / 8

Question 5

To which western art movement does this painting belong?

5 / 8

Answer 5

This painting belongs to the fauvism art movement.

5 / 8

Question 6

How does the artwork serve as an example of fauvism?

6 / 8

Answer 6

The painting's bright colors, visible brush strokes, and abstracted images are all characteristic of fauvism.

6 / 8

Question 7

Which genres commonly coincide with fauvism?

7 / 8

Answer 7

Landscapes, portraits, and cityscapes often coincide with fauvism.

7 / 8

Question 8

During which century was this artwork created?

8 / 8

Answer 8

This artwork was created in the early 20th century (1917).

8 / 8

❮ ❯

1. What is fauvism? Fauvism is a style of painting with vivid, unnatural colors, visible brushstrokes (painterly), and simplified or abstracted imagery.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is in a field outside the village Prades in Southern France.
3. What happens in the artwork? The artwork shows a view of the village of Prades and its fields.
4. Into which genre does the artwork fall? The artwork falls into the landscape genre.
5. To which western art movement does this painting belong? This painting belongs to the fauvism art movement.
6. How does the artwork serve as an example of fauvism? The painting's bright colors, visible brush strokes, and abstracted images are all characteristic of fauvism.
7. Which genres commonly coincide with fauvism? Landscapes, portraits, and cityscapes often coincide with fauvism.
8. During which century was this artwork created? This artwork was created in the early 20th century (1917).

References

'Fauvism.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.