Vauxcelles, Louis

Vauxcelles, Louis (1870–1943). French art critic. In the period between the turn of the century and the First World War, he was probably the most widely read of French critics, his work appearing in many newspapers and periodicals, particularly Excelsior and Gil Blas, for which he was the regular art correspondent. Alfred H. Barr describes him as ‘an able and witty critic', but outside specialist circles he is now remembered solely because he gave rise to the names of two of the 20th century's most famous art movements—Fauvism and Cubism. He said of Braque, ‘Let us not make fun of him since he is honest', but he soon became identified with vociferous opposition to Cubism, and by 1918 he was even spreading false rumours that Picasso and Gris were disillusioned with the movement. Because of this he has sometimes been pigeonholed as an arch-conservative, but although he was hostile to certain types of avant-garde art (particularly abstraction) he was broadly anti-academic in his sympathies. He founded two periodicals, Le Carnet des artistes in 1916, and the more substantial L'Amour de l'art, which he edited from 1920 to 1923. His only book, Le Fauvisme, appeared posthumously in 1958 (new edition, 1999).