London Bridge 1906

André Derain made this painting of London Bridge at the start of the 20th century, using oil paint on canvas. The colours here, they're not trying to be real, right? It's like Derain is feeling out the bridge, the water, the buildings, through the act of painting itself. Look closely, and you'll notice the paint is laid on pretty thick in some areas, giving the surface a real texture, a sort of clotted energy. The arches of the bridge are described with these big, bold strokes, like he's wrestling with the form, trying to nail it down but also letting the paint do its thing. Notice the water? It’s not just green, it’s got yellows and blues mixed in, creating this shimmering, almost psychedelic effect. It's like he's saying, "Hey, reality is cool, but my version is way more fun." Thinking of someone like Matisse, you see a similar joy in colour, but Derain’s got this rawness, this edge, that’s all his own. It's like a conversation between artists, each one pushing the limits of what paint can do, how it can make us feel.