Fauvism at its Bestism

To your left you are going to see one of the more famous painting in the movement commonly known as "Fauvism". This painting (Portrait of Madame Matisse) is by Henri Matisse, who was a leader of the movement along with André Derain. Ok, let me quote Wikipedia just one more time. Fauvism can be seen as an approach to Expressionism (seeing as Matisse was inspired by Van Gogh). It encorporate "wild brush work and strident colors". The paintings are normally very simple in nature and composition (and I've noticed a lot of portraits).

I figure the best way for us to get a good idea of what Fauvism really is, we just need to see and observe a couple works under this particular "ism". Here goes:

André Derain by Henri Matisse

-I would say the identifying factor of this portrait is that of the author's name. Anything Matisse is all Fauvist.

 

Fauvism Flowers by Karen Fields

-If the title wasn't clue enough, the exquisite color and power of this piece would give you clues as to its Fauvist nature. The aim of all Fauvists was to employ the use of light and power.

Light and power?

Another highly expressionistic Fauvist painting. You would never see such color display in a harbor in reality. It challenges our already acquired knowledge of color and intensity.

Fauvism celebrates pure colors. As I read it from the internet: "Simplified designs combined in an orgy of pure colours dominate Fauvism." There you have it.

Woman With a Hat, 1905 by Henri Matisse

It is interesting how her face is a mixture of reds, and yellows, purples, blues, and I think I even saw a green in there. Matisse is not interested in mixing a perfect pallet to disguise the colors he's used. 

What is the advantage in such a technique? I mean, there must be something behind the phrase, "show them your true colors". If a color can represent a virtue, a vice, an attitude, a feeling or emotion, then why not paint the colors right on their faces?