Othon Friesz

Henri-Achille-Emile-Othon-Friesz was a French painter, graphic designer and decorator, a talented teacher, the founder of the private school of painting in Paris.

His father and grandfather were both seamen and wanted Emille to devote himself to the family business. The boy began to show his artistic ability at an early age, and his parents sent him to the School of Fine Arts in his hometown. There he got acquainted and made friends with Fauvist Raoul Dufy.

Othon Friesz was a member of the Fauvist group, headed by Henri Matisse and is rightly considered one of the brightest representatives of this art movement. In 1906, the artist became one of the founders of The Circle of Contemporary Art – the association of artists, admirers of Le Havre and took an active part in art exhibitions around the world. His contemporaries appreciated the art of Friesz, his paintings were popular with the public and evoked positive reviews of colleagues; in 1933, and the artist was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Key Ideas:

– Fellow artists called Othon Friesz a romantic among the Fauves for his lyrical stories and closeness to nature. The artist created many landscapes in characteristic bright and pure tones inherent in Fauvism, as well as portraits and still lifes.

– Friesz’ favorite theme was ports and harbors, boats and ships, as well as the noisy life of coastal cities.

– The palette of the artist changes throughout his career from the light impressionistic that was characteristic of him at the beginning of the creative path, to the unrestrained colors of Fauvism and the more restrained shades of the late period.

– Friesz’s paintings are characterized by smooth wavy lines, contrasting color spots, a schematic depiction of people and objects. They are filled with vital energy and bring about positive emotions.

– Like many of his contemporaries, Othon Friesz was in constant search of new ways of expression and original art methods. Experiments with color and form are clearly visible in most of his paintings, where the artist tries to find the most accurate and emotionally expressive way to reflect the world around him.

– In the canvases after 1909, the master tries to escape from any artistic trends. He begins to paint in his own manner, as simple and decorative as possible, although very refined and original.