Landscape near Martigues 1908

André Derain made this painting, Landscape near Martigues, with oil on canvas. I'm struck by how Derain fearlessly pits the earthy oranges and reds against the cooler greens and blues. It's like he's throwing a color party on the canvas. Looking closely, you can see how the paint is applied in these thick, juicy strokes. It's not trying to hide itself, it's there, present, like it wants you to know that a real human made this with their own two hands. Look at the way the ochre path winds through the landscape – that one simple stroke is enough to suggest depth, movement, a whole world opening up. It reminds me a bit of Matisse, another artist who wasn't afraid to let color sing. But where Matisse is all elegant curves, Derain's got this rugged, almost primal energy. It's a reminder that art isn't about perfection, it's about feeling your way through the world, one color, one brushstroke at a time.