Albert Marquet

Albert Marquet’s painting thrives on quiet observation. The French painter, born in 1875 in Bordeaux, belongs to the circle of the Fauves, yet he develops early a more restrained, tonal pictorial language. After his training at the École des Arts Décoratifs, he studied in Gustave Moreau’s studio, where he met Henri Matisse, with whom he formed a close artistic friendship. In 1905 Marquet exhibited at the Salon d’Automne alongside Matisse, Derain and Vlaminck and is counted among the Fauves. His work is particularly shaped by harbour views, river landscapes, coastlines and cityscapes. Often seen from an elevated perspective, his motifs appear in clear compositions in which line, plane, colour and atmosphere relate to one another in a calm, harmonious way.