The Bay at Anthéor
1905
Louis Valtat captures the blazing Mediterranean sun in this vibrant view of Anthéor, a tiny coastal village on the French Riviera. Painted in 1905, the swirling clouds and thick, juicy brushstrokes of electric blue and fiery orange show Valtat flirting with the wild colors of Fauvism, earning him the nickname 'the father of Fauvism' from Matisse himself. He was actually a close friend of Renoir and even helped care for the older master in his final years, bridging the gap between Impressionism and modern art.