item details
NameLe verger
ProductionAndré Derain; painter; 1909
Classificationoil paintings, landscapes
Materialsoil paint, canvas
Materials Summaryoil on canvas
DimensionsImage: 461mm (height), 549mm (length)
Registration Number1964-0013-1
Credit linePurchased 1964 from Wellington City Council Picture Purchase Fund
Overview
In André Derain’s Le verger (The orchard), thick strokes of black, green, and grey combine to form a rhythmic composition of darkened trees.
As one of the founders of fauvism, Derain is among the most important figures of early 20th-century European art. Here, he replaces the vibrant fauvist palette with muted tones, focusing instead on the form of the trees. The work shows the growing influence of cubism on his work.
Le verger was one of Ernest Heber Thompson’s last acquisitions before handing over to Mary Chamot in 1965. He regarded the purchase as his crowning achievement as the National Art Gallery’s London representative.