Van Dongen and the Bateau-Lavoir

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the legendary Bateau-Lavoir-located on Place Émile-Goudeau, near the present-day Musée de Montmartre-, where the artists Picasso, Derain, Vlaminck, Van Rees, Matisse, Apollinaire, Max Jacob, and many others would meet and exchange ideas in an independent spirit, became the cradle of modern art. Kees van Dongen moved in around December 1905, very probably invited there by Pablo Picasso, who had been living in Paco Durio's former studio since April 1904. He stayed there until 1907. This fascinating book illustrates the extent to which Kees van Dongen's brief stay in the Bateau-Lavoir had a decisive influence on his subsequent career. Several significant works illustrate the key phases in this period.