Raoul Dufy

James Vigeveno Galleries, Westwood Hills, California
Tyrone Power (acquired from the above in 1939)
Annabella neé Suzanne Georgette Charpentier, Brentwood & Paris (a gift from the above in 1939 and until 1996)
Anne Power Werner, North Hampton, New Hampshire (by descent from the above and until 2011)
Thence by descent

Fanny Guillon-Laffaille, Raoul Dufy, Catalogue raisonné des aquarelles, gouaches et pastels, vol. I, Paris, 1981, no. 1037, illustrated p. 377

Executed on cream wove paper. Sheet is taped to window mat around extreme perimeter. Sheet is somewhat time darkened overall, though medium is very well preserved and colors are extremely bright and fresh. Scattered fox marks, mostly around perimeter of sheet and throughout verso. Overall work is in 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Dufy first approached the subject of horse racing as early as 1913, but by the 1920s it had become a central theme in his oeuvre. The range of bright colors and the vibrant energy at these events appealed to the artist. Encouraged by his friend the designer Paul Poiret, Dufy initially concentrated his attentions on the fashionable dress and interactions of the sociable crowd in and around the races. He was subsequently drawn to the exhilarating atmosphere surrounding the race itself. In Epsom, les turfistes dans les tribunes, Dufy investigates both of these subjects. With an active crowd mingling in the foreground, the background provides a glimpse into the excitement and activity on the racetrack and in the stands.

The horse races provided ample opportunity for Dufy to employ his couleur-lumière. This technique, which emphasizes color over the shading properties of black and white, allowed the artist to convey light in a distinct way. As Dora Perez-Tibi describes, "These racecourse scenes—whether in France, at Deauville, Lonchamp or Chantilly or, in England, at Epsom, Ascot or Goodwood—allowed Dufy to put his 'couleur-lumière' theory into practice... He decided to convey light by means of colour; the absence of colour represents the unlit area... For Dufy, the balance of the composition comes from the distribution of all the points of light in the centre of each element of the painting. It was here that he found the secret of his composition" (Dora Perez-Tibi, Dufy, New York, 1989, pp. 158-62). The present work is a perfect example of Dufy's extraordinary ability to convey the vibrant atmosphere that pervades the social spectacle of horse racing.

Epsom, les turfistes dans les tribunes was acquired by the movie star Tyrone Power as a gift for his wife Annabella. Raoul Dufy knew both Tyrone and Annabella, and he and Annabella had been friends before she moved to Hollywood. Dufy and Annabella were both French, and they also shared a love of horses and horse racing. In 1937 Annabella had starred opposite Henry Fonda in Wings of the Morning, the first British film shot in three-strip Technicolor. Horse racing features prominently in the story—in fact the title is a reference to a horse's name. Annabella and Dufy had discussed the film and, given their common interest in the subject, Epsom, les turfistes dans les was a natural fit for both artist and collector. Tyrone Power and Annabella met while filming the epic movie Suez and married in 1939. Annabella kept this vibrant painting when she returned to Paris after World War II and bequeathed it upon her death to her daughter, Anne Power Werner, who in turn bequeathed it to the present owner.