If Maurice de Vlaminck was initially associated with the Fauves, it was after that period that his pictorial style evolved under the influence of Paul Cézanne: the colors remained vivid but the harmony became more structured and less “explosive.” This evolution is clearly visible in our view of the port, painted in 1913.

The brushwork is powerful and energetic, with attention paid to the water reflections and to the architectural masses rather than to details.

The composition emphasizes this feeling of light and movement: boats, quays and houses form colorful planes that interact through contrasts of warm tones (ochres, reds) and cold tones (deep blues).

With this painting, Vlaminck retained its chromatic power but organized it according to more Cézanne-like harmonies: depth achieved through colored planes, simplified volumes, and a masterful command of red, ochre, and blue harmonies.

The work appears vibrant and colorful, firmly rooted in the reality of the landscape.

His travels on the Mediterranean coast in 1913, notably with André Derain, explain the frequent choice of the South of France and ports as subjects, such as those of Marseille or Martigues.

Note that several of Vlaminck’s oils depicting ports from 1913 appear in major collections, such as the National Gallery in Washington.