Derain - The Large Tree

Derain spent his career constantly experimenting with new styles. In this period, he was painting classical subjects, but the way he built the composition owed less to classicism itself than to the landscapes of Cézanne.

As in a Cézanne landscape, a large tree set in the middle ground creates a natural sense of depth, pushing the trees and mountains behind it convincingly into the distance.

The color palette recalls Cézanne as well. He favored green and orange, a complementary pairing that makes each color pop when placed side by side. Derain uses the same combination here, achieving a similar effect.