André Derain - The dance

• Title: The dance (La danse)
• Artist: André Derain (1880-1954)
• Date: 1906
• Medium: Oil on canvas
• Dimensions: 175 x 225 cm

André Derain's "The Dance" (1906) is a reflection of his diverse style and fascination with various Western and non-Western artistic traditions. Created in the autumn of 1906 upon his return from London to Paris, Derain's visit to the Paul Gauguin retrospective at the annual Paris exhibition Salon d’Automne influenced the painting's composition. In "The Dance," Derain incorporates elements borrowed from Gauguin's symbolism, including the presence of a long serpent intertwined between the dancing figures. Additionally, Derain draws inspiration from the Louvre, possibly modeling the figure on the right after the servant depicted in Eugène Delacroix’s "Women of Algiers" (1834). Serving as a culmination of Derain’s decorative Fauve style, "The Dance" marks a transition in his artistic approach, as he later embraced a more sculptural style influenced by Cézanne and the Cubist movement.