Derain, André (1880-1954)
Le Bal à Suresnes (At the Suresnes Ball)
1903
Oil on canvas, 180 × 145.1 cm
Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis
A man in an infantry uniform dances with a taller woman, the splayed fingers of his white-gloved hand sharply illuminated against her green skirt. Three fellow soldiers observe in the background; the tallest may be a self-portrait of André Derain who painted this work during a year of military service. The artist takes a humorous approach to his subject, presenting the dance as an awkward social ritual. This early picture is notable for its areas of bold, flat color, anticipating Derain’s experiments with Fauvism. (SLAM)