Lot 3252 - A211 Impressionist & Modern Art - Friday, 29. November 2024, 05.00 PM
RAOUL DUFY
(Le Havre 1877–1953 Forcalquier)
L’ancien casino de Nice, de nuit. Circa 1947.
Oil on canvas.
Signed lower left: Raoul Dufy.
38.5 × 47 cm.
Certificate:
Provenance:
- Private collection, Switzerland, acquired in 1960 at the above gallery and thence by descent.
Although Raoul Dufy does not live permanently in Nice, he spends much time on the picturesque Côte d’Azur, where he creates and finds peace. This region attracts many artists, including Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, who, like Dufy, are inspired by the natural beauty and unique light of the French Riviera. Influenced by Impressionism and later Fauvism, Dufy soon develops his own style. He often creates lively compositions that depict marine or urban landscapes and captivate with sensual, vibrant colors.
The present work shows the old casino in Nice, which displays all the opulence of the Belle Époque. The magnificent building with its elegant domes, majestic silhouette, immense windows, ornamental features and balustrades was a popular gathering place for elite society until its demolition in 1944. “L’ancien casino de Nice, de nuit” illustrates the way in which Dufy simplified and abstracted forms in his later works. With flowing lines and understated design, he depicts lightness and fresh air with energy and liveliness. Dufy skilfully captures the almost magical atmosphere, using characteristic colors: bright green-yellow for the casino, dancing passers-by and the crescent moon floating over the city; primarily blue tones for the sky, the sea and the avenue; and a soft lavender-violet for the sidewalk.
The present work shows the old casino in Nice, which displays all the opulence of the Belle Époque. The magnificent building with its elegant domes, majestic silhouette, immense windows, ornamental features and balustrades was a popular gathering place for elite society until its demolition in 1944. “L’ancien casino de Nice, de nuit” illustrates the way in which Dufy simplified and abstracted forms in his later works. With flowing lines and understated design, he depicts lightness and fresh air with energy and liveliness. Dufy skilfully captures the almost magical atmosphere, using characteristic colors: bright green-yellow for the casino, dancing passers-by and the crescent moon floating over the city; primarily blue tones for the sky, the sea and the avenue; and a soft lavender-violet for the sidewalk.
CHF 50 000 / 70 000 | (€ 51 550 / 72 160)