'Fauvism was our ordeal by fire', Derain remarked in later years. 'Colours became charges of dynamite. They were expected to discharge light. It was a fine idea, in its freshness, that everything could be raised above real...What was wrong in our attitude was a kind of fear of imitating life which made us approach things from too far off and led us to hasty judgements. Where there is temperament, there can be no imitation. Thus it became necessary for us to return to more cautious attitudes, to lay in a store of resources from the outset, to secure patiently for each painting a long development.' (Denys Sutton, Derain, London, 1959, pp. 20-21).

It is not known precisely when Derain visited Le Havre. Another painting of Le Havre (Kellermann 134) was sold in these Rooms on 27 June 1988, lot 85 (illustrated). The other Fauves visited Antwerp and Le Havre frequently. 'Braque and Friesz were accustomed to the smaller but fairly active port in Le Havre, which revolved around its principal docks; boats there were moored directly opposite the commercial center of the town. Braque, Dufy and Friesz, whose families all had links to Le Havre's shipping industry, often painted along the docks.' (J. Freeman, op. cit., p. 202).