The title of the exhibition is based on an affirmation from the woman of letters and collector Gertrude Stein, who wrote in 1946 “Raoul Dufy is pleasure”. At first this title is a question: is Raoul Dufy this painter of lightness whose easy and colourful themes of horse and boat-racings were the predilection? Is this epithet representative of the painter? Indeed he is mainly famous for his apparently superficial 1930's paintings.
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| Paysage de Vence, 1908 Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris © Musée d’Art moderne/ Roger-Viollet © ADAGP, Paris 2008 |
Very influenced by Boudin, other painters from Normandy, and by Monet's impressionist shapes, the first turning point of Dufy's work occurred in 1905, in front of Matisse's painting “Luxe, calme et volupté”. Dufy then liberated himself indefinitely from impressionism to enter with conviction Fauvism. It is the only pictorial movement that he joined completely, and is also the movement that mostly marked his style over the years. Contrary to the other Fauves, Dufy favors popular scenes in a landscape. His first series appeared, including “14th of July" paintings, colourful and festive.
Then Dufy studied Cézanne and became shortly close to Cubism, but without completely abandoning colour, still Fauve, or arabesque. The attempt to Cubist austerity does not suit him.
Meanwhile, Dufy did not cease taking inspiration from popular art. His prints delicioulsy illustrate Bestaire by Apollinaire, published in 1911, while creating postcards for his small propaganda business during the First World War. But his meeting with couturier Paul Poiret and his collaboration with silk manufacturer Bianchini-Férier offered Dufy the best opportunity to diversify himself and to give freedom to his imagination. From 1910 and for over twenty years, Dufy realised a multitude of decorative works such as drapes, advertisements as well as a screen representing a Panorama of Paris (1929-1933).
With The abandoned garden in 1913, Dufy's style started to affirm itself. This trend continued in the 1920's. One discovers with astonishment his delicate water-coloured series of Morocco and Venice. From there, he is considered by his contemporaries as a master of watercolor highlighted with gouache thanks to the subtle colors of paintings such as Thé chez le pacha de Marrakech (1926).
Dufy found his style with fluidity and vivacity, shimmering with black lines that one very often saw at the beginning of his career. He did not paint many portraits but some windows, workshops, horse-races series, as well as music and big orchestra series in which a dominant colour gives the painting its unity.
The last series, that of Cargos noirs, painted at the end of his life, links his favorite theme from his early years, the sea, and a darker aspect of the painter, with these black masses that give the painting a worrying atmosphere. It is maybe to remind one that Dufy is not just lightness.
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| Bateaux pavoisés, 1931 Collection particulière © Jean-Louis Losi © ADAGP, Paris 2008 |
So, pleasure, the title of the exhibition, is well chosen: it is both reducing and claiming. Reducing because it voluntarily reflects ones ignorance of the painter, giving him this qualifier once again, after reflexion and without shame. Plus demonstrating that lightness is not just necessarily superficial.
Raoul Dufy is finally an unknown modern. The exhibition thus underlines more exactly that Dufy is, in his own way, an anti-modern. Not a conservative, because this touched-everything painter, as one saw, lived with his time. He is a modern who takes the paths, a modern that one can not limit to a single label. He spawned with the avant-garde but often navigated onside, he innovated while resisting, with some peaks of nostalgia in his brush strokes and colours. He is indefinable but recognisable among all, he created this style that is only light in appearance. Dufy is an anti-modern, i.e. he is modern but free. For our greatest pleasure.
“Raoul Dufy. Le Plaisir”: until the 11th January 2009.
Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris
11 avenue du Président Wilson
75116 Paris, France
Open from Monday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm, late night opening on Thursday unitl 10pm.
Full price: 9 euros
Reduced price: 7 euros / Youth price: 4.5 euros
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 40 00
For more information, please visit www.mam.paris.fr.
Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris
11 avenue du Président Wilson
75116 Paris, France
Open from Monday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm, late night opening on Thursday unitl 10pm.
Full price: 9 euros
Reduced price: 7 euros / Youth price: 4.5 euros
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 40 00
For more information, please visit www.mam.paris.fr.