André Derain (French, 1880-1954)
'Nu Debout - Grotesque'

crayon
signed with estate stamp 'Atelier André Derain' (lower right)

Dimensions: 43 x 22 cm. (16 1/2 x 8 1/2 in.)

With Galerie Schmit, Paris
Private Collection, London

Exhibition:
Galerie Schmit, Paris 30 April - 9th July 2003 no.141

André Derain was a French artist and co-founder of Fauvism, a movement characterized by bold colors and expressive brushwork. Alongside Henri Matisse, he helped define the Fauvist style in the early 1900s, and he also worked closely with Maurice de Vlaminck. Derain later transitioned to a more classical, structured style, influenced by traditional European painting. His depictions of the nude evolved throughout his career—from the vibrant, almost abstracted forms of his Fauvist period to the more restrained, volumetric, and serene figures of his later neoclassical phase. These nudes often reflect his interest in timeless beauty and classical harmony, standing in contrast to the modernist trends of his contemporaries. Derain's work is held in major international collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate in London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, affirming his lasting influence on 20th-century art.