Olive Trees by the Golfe Juan c. 1927

Editor: This is Raoul Dufy's "Olive Trees by the Golfe Juan," held at the Tate. It's a watercolor and feels… unfinished, almost like a sketch. What social commentary, if any, do you see in this landscape? Curator: Dufy painted prolifically in the south of France, and while seemingly idyllic, these scenes often romanticized regions undergoing significant change. Consider the impact of tourism and development on local communities, particularly in the wake of both World Wars. Editor: So, are you suggesting there's a tension between the beauty he captures and the social realities of the time? Curator: Precisely! Dufy's art invites us to question whose perspectives are represented in these landscapes and whose stories are potentially erased. What do you make of the almost ethereal quality of the trees? Editor: I hadn't considered it in that context. It's a reminder to look beyond the surface and consider the bigger picture. Curator: Exactly. The canvas asks, "Who benefits from this view?"