Cornelis (Kees) Theodorus Maria van Dongen was a Dutch-born painter who lived in France for much of his life. With his work he was one of the most important Dutch representatives of Fauvism.
Van Dongen is known for his many paintings of the female nude. For him, the woman was 'the most beautiful landscape':the woman was his 'muse'. Later in his career (after 1918) he concentrated mainly on painting portraits of the Parisian 'society'. One of his most famous models was Brigitte Bardot.
