Portrait of Madame Paul Guillaume with a large hat 1928

Andre Derain painted this portrait of Madame Paul Guillaume using oil paint on canvas, a common method at the time. The textured brushwork, a hallmark of Derain’s style, gives the painting a tangible quality. You can almost feel the weight and weave of Madame Guillaume’s dress, and the broad brim of her hat. The visible strokes were quickly applied, but the nature of oil paint, which takes a long time to dry, allowed Derain to come back and work on it over a period of days or weeks. This method suited the rise of modernism, reflecting a new kind of accelerated urban life. Oil paint had long been embraced by artists for portraits, allowing for a high level of realism and detail. However, here Derain pushes this tradition in new directions. His bold, expressive brushstrokes and simplified forms give the portrait a modern edge. While rooted in the established practice of oil painting, the work embodies a spirit of experimentation.