Raoul Dufy

Sale: Sotheby's, New York, 7th May 2003, lot 177
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The canvas is not lined and there appear to be no signs of retouching under UV light. There is a varnish that prohibits UV light penetrating fully to the paint surface. This work is in very good condition. Colours: The colours are richer and deeper 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."

The Gare St. Lazare was a favourite subject for the Impressionists, who enjoyed both the aesthetic spectacle of plumes of steam rising out of the trains and also found in the bustle and energy of the station a powerful symbol of modernity. In 1877 Monet had taken up residence in a small flat owned by Gustave Caillebotte close to the station in order to paint a series of canvases of this subject which caused a huge stir when exhibited at the third Impressionist exhibition. These views were intended as a celebration of modern technological advances and focus on the atmospheric effects inside the station, likening the smoke from the engines to clouds in the sky. In Dufy's later version of this subject a similar parallel is made, with the steam from the trains mirroring the clouds above the houses. This work actually depicts the broad railway yard outside the station and Dufy uses the evening sky to light the scene, thus allowing the natural world to impinge on this industrial subject.