Henri Matisse, André Derain, Raoul Dufy, Maurice de Vlaminck, and Othon Friesz were all members of the influential group of French artists known as the Fauves (or Wild Beasts). This exhibition examines more than a dozen woodcut prints produced early in the careers of Fauve artists and those associated with them. Best known for their bold and brash use of intense color in their paintings often applied in quick dramatic strokes, the Fauves experimented with woodcuts to create powerful and expressive works mostly in black and white. They explored the high contrast between tones in their woodcuts, while also simplifying form and line in their innovative compositions.

Curated by Katy Rothkopf, The Anne and Ben Cone Memorial Director of The Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies and Senior Curator of European Painting and Sculpture at the BMA