Early Life, Family and Training In the year 1880, André Derain entered the world in Chatou, a village nestled within the Yvelines region of France. His early years were shaped by the quiet landscapes of the Île-de-France, where a natural curiosity for the surroundings began to take root. By 1895, he had already commenced studying on his own, seeking to understand the visual world through his own eyes rather than through formal instruction. This period of self-directed exploration allowed him to develop a personal way of seeing before the rigors of an academy could impose their will upon him.…