Raoul Dufy

Estate of the Artist
Private Collection (acquired from the above)
Sale: Christie's, London, 29th November 1995, lot 223
Sale: Christie's, London, 26th June 2002, lot 152
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The canvas is not lined. UV examination reveals a few small spots of retouching in the sky and to the corners. There are some extremely fine lines of stable craquelure in places, mainly to the sky. Otherwise, this work is in overall good condition.
"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."

Raoul Dufy’s fascination with outdoor festivities and horse races is superbly evidenced in this small-scale masterwork, Ascot. Painted in 1930 during one of Dufy's two trips to London, the canvas depicts a famous race at one the most prestigious social events in the world, emphasised by the Royal Standard that dominates the centre left of this work. The complex composition captures the gentle curve of the grandstands at left, the bustling mob of spectators fading into the distance in the centre, and the elegant contours of jockeys and horses cantering down to the start. The exuberantly festive atmosphere is palpable, and the artist’s vibrant palette and deceptively complex brushwork come together brilliantly to express the soaring energy of the horses and the joyous anticipation of those who watch them.

'Friends who accompanied Dufy on his earliest expeditions to the racecourse in the twenties...all speak of the way in which he was more interested in the horses' and jockeys' colours than he was in the people, smart or otherwise. Gradually, in Dufy's racecourse scenes...everything is again given up to the crisp, juanty inter-action between green turf, red brick buildings, white railings, multi-coloured crowds, green trees against blue sky with sprightly puffs of clouds' (B. Robertson, 'An Intoduction to Raoul Dufy', exh. cat. Raoul Dufy 1877-1953, London, 1983).

Born in Le Havre, Normandy, Raoul Dufy was a member of the Fauves, or ‘wild beasts’, and is most celebrated for his colourful and decorative style. He truly redefined the expressive limitations of painting through his use of loose, frenzied brushstrokes and bold, saturated colours. Like many artists of his generation, he directly confronted the intellectual problems found in the artistic process, determining how to reconcile the illusion of representation with its source in reality as perceived by the artist himself. For Dufy, the answer could only be found through a deep investigation of colour and light. Underscoring the freedom and dynamism of his images with pure colours and sharp black outlines, he adeptly appeals to all the viewer’s senses in his illustration of the event, imbuing the scene with a visceral sense of frenzy that no other artist could begin to match.