Raoul Dufy

Raoul Dufy, the French Fauvist painter, developed a vibrant and decorative style that gained popularity in ceramics and textile design, as well as in decorative plans for public buildings. Known for his depictions of outdoor social gatherings, Dufy also engaged in various artistic roles, including those of draftsman, printmaker, book illustrator, scenic designer, furniture designer, and public space planner.

Biography of Raoul Dufy

Born into a large family in Le Havre, Normandy, Raoul Dufy left school at the age of fourteen to work for a coffee-importing company. In 1895, at 18, he enrolled in evening art classes at Le Havre's École des Beaux-Arts, where Charles Lhuillier was his instructor. During these classes, Dufy formed lasting friendships with Raimond Lecourt and Othon Friesz, both of whom later shared a studio with him in Montmartre. Throughout this period, Dufy primarily painted landscapes of Normandy using watercolors.

After a year of military service in 1900, Dufy secured a scholarship to the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he once again encountered Othon Friesz. His focus at the school was on refining his drawing skills. Dufy was deeply influenced by impressionist landscape painters like Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro. He made his debut at the Exhibition of French Artists in 1901. Following an introduction to Berthe Weill in 1902, the artist displayed his work in her gallery. In 1903, he showcased his art again at the Salon des Indépendants, receiving a confidence boost when the painter Maurice Denis purchased one of his paintings.

Henri Matisse's "Luxe, Calme et Volupté," encountered by Dufy at the Salon des Indépendants in 1905, served as a revelation to the young artist, steering his interests towards Fauvism. The Fauves, or "wild beasts," were characterized by their emphasis on vivid colors and bold contours in their artistic expressions. Dufy's painting style echoed this aesthetic until around 1909 when exposure to the works of Paul Cézanne prompted a shift toward a somewhat subtler technique.

It wasn't until 1920 that Dufy forged his own distinctive approach. This approach featured skeletal structures arranged with foreshortened perspective and the application of thin washes of color in a quick manner, eventually recognized as stenographic. Dufy's vibrant oils and watercolors captured contemporary events, including yachting scenes, scenic views of the French Riviera, stylish gatherings, and musical occasions. 

Dufy undertook the creation of one of the most expansive paintings ever conceived—an enormous and widely acclaimed tribute to electricity titled 'La Fée Electricité.' This fresco adorned the 1937 Exposition Internationale in Paris. Additionally, Dufy gained recognition as an illustrator and commercial artist. He crafted murals for public buildings and made significant contributions to the realms of tapestry and ceramic design.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Dufy showcased his art at the annual Salon des Tuileries in Paris. However, by 1950, rheumatoid arthritis affected his hands, diminishing his ability to paint and leading him to affix the brush to his hand for assistance. In April of that year, he traveled to Boston for an experimental treatment involving cortisone and corticotropin, inspired by the work of Philip S. Hench. The treatment proved successful, and some of his subsequent works were dedicated to doctors and researchers in the United States.

In 1952, Dufy was honored with the grand prize for painting at the 26th Venice Biennale. The artist passed away in 1953 in Forcalquier, France. He was laid to rest near Matisse in the Cimiez Monastery Cemetery in Cimiez, a suburb of Nice.