Born Le Havre, France 1877. An innovative artist who enjoyed the rarity of international success and awards as both an artist and designer. Dufy’s approach to his work was dramatically altered by Matisse’s uncompromising use of colour in the first Fauves exhibition of 1905. By 1908 the influence of Cézanne’s paintings and the relationship between colour and form caused Dufy to abandon the spontaneous use of pure colour, now colour was a solution to composition problems. From as early as 1911 Dufy’s work as a textile designer influenced the French fashion world. From 1923 his paintings became increasingly brightly coloured. ‘Bateaux dans le Port’ shows a bright, translucent background colour overdrawn with boats and figures in a lively, graphic style. The careful composition gives depth to the image and an articulate blue wash gives volume to the boat-festooned sea. Died Forcalquier, France 1953.
