Raoul Dufy

Sale: Galerie Charpentier, Paris, 4th June 1958, no. 89
Sale: Sotheby's, London, 27th June 1990, lot 180
Acquired by the present owner in 2005 

Maurice Laffaille, Raoul Dufy, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, Geneva, 1974, vol. II, no. 786, illustrated p. 304

The canvas is not lined. There are small spots of retouching to all four corners and a 5cm. line of retouching to cover frame rubbing along the bottom right edge. All retouching is visible under UV light. This work is in very good condition. Colours: Overall accurate, although less red and with greater depth in the original.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In 1928, Dufy returned to Normandy and spent some time in Villerville, a small village close to Deauville and Dufy's beloved racetrack. The various views of this landscape depict his large red house with its tiled roof that stood amongst a forested hillside overlooking a busy commercial waterway. The vivid greens of the vegetation on the hillside give this landscape a rich, verdant feel which Dufy exploits through the vibrant contrast with the house and the deep blues of the sea and the road. Despite the change in palette and the northerly subject, Dufy remains true to his principal of couleur-lumière, and this scene retains the atmosphere of his Mediterranean work. Dufy adapted this view into an original poster commissioned by the French Railways (fig. 1), which has assumed an important place in the history of the railway poster.

Fig. 1, Normandie, 1928. Advertising poster for the Société Nationale Chemins de Fer Français