Music by André Derain

This delicate watercolor fits into the tradition of the great bucolic compositions that celebrate the original harmony between man and wild nature. In this pastoral daydream, the creator Derain André deploys light silhouettes through his composition named “Music” to create a poetic universe. This work on paper testifies to a search for formal simplification close to a refined and modern classicism.

Several nude female silhouettes, drawn with supple and graceful outlines, scatter across a wooded and undulating landscape. On the left, a standing figure seems to play an instrument while other figures dance or rest on the grassy ground with warm hues. The bodies, left in the whiteness of the paper or slightly tinted with ocre, stand out against waves of azure blue and soft green. The surrounding vegetation is evoked by large washes of color, where yellow and green blend with great softness. A diffuse light envelops the entire scene, creating an atmosphere of an eternal dream.

The delicacy of the watercolor technique shows the artist’s skill in suggesting volume and movement with few strokes. This work demonstrates a remarkable sense of synthesis and lightness of the brush.