Maurice de Vlaminck

Maurice de Vlaminck was born in Paris in 1876 to parents who were bohemian musicians. As an adolescent, Vlaminck planned to make a career as a professional cyclist. Like his parents, Vlaminck had musical talent and earned a living playing the violin in professional concerts in Europe.  Having a passionate interest in painting and being an admirer of Vincent Van Gogh and the impressionists circling around Claude Monet, Vlaminck’s interest in art was fostered by Robichon, a French artist who encouraged him to learn to paint.

After Vlaminick married Suzanne Berly in 1894, he contracted typhoid fever which ended his ambitions to become a cyclist in 1896. Obligated to support his wife, he gave violin lessons and eventually joined the military and ruing one of his military leaves at Chatou he met artist Andre Derain (June 1900), which was the meeting that began the school of Chatou and ultimately led to the birth of Fauvism or post-impressionist and expressionistic paintings with vivid color.

Vlaminick painted with the Fauves and exhibited with them at the Salon des Independants and d’Automme and these exhibitions gave him internationally attention and the reputation of being an independent member of the avant-garde.

Vlaminck published a few novels for which Derain made illustrations and wrote some poetry. Later in life, Vlaminck remarried, had two daughters, continued to write autobiographical accounts of his experiences with artists and he traveled with Derain to paint remarkably virile, boldly executed and often haunting landscapes and street scenes.

Throughout his career this multi-talented musician-writer-painter led a predominantly bohemian life within the avant-garde and he created some of the most powerful and mysteriously beautiful post-impressionist canvases by using broad, sure brushstrokes unencumbered by gimmick united with a unique dynamic visualization of nature.