Maurice Vlaminck

French artist: without any academic studies he started to paint using a brilliant orange, red, and blue palette; between paintings he also wrote novels and articles. Vlaminck remained resolutely apart from all trends of contemporary art after his brief adventure into Cubism, and found in his return to nature a realistic outlet for his early Fauve passion.

Though born to parents who were bohemian musicians, he planned, in youth, to make a career as a professional cyclist but had to put an end to that dream after he contracted typhoid fever in 1896. Like his parents, he also had musical talent and earned a living through the violin. He eventually joined the military and it was during one of his leaves on June 1900 that he met André Derain.

In 1935, he retired to a large farm, La Tourillière, near Beauce. He farmed as had his Flemish ancestors, and continued to paint still life's and sensitive landscapes that show an almost religious love of nature, the land, and its products.

Vlaminck married Berthe Lucienne Combe on 5 April 1928. He died on 11 October 1958, 3:15 AM, Rueil-la-Gadelière, France.