The Kessler Family on Horseback 1932

Curator: Raoul Dufy’s large painting, “The Kessler Family on Horseback,” presents a fascinating group portrait. There's no specific date for it. Editor: It's whimsical! The thin paint and visible canvas give it an airy feel, almost like a memory. Curator: Indeed. Dufy, with his background in decorative arts, often blurred the lines between fine art and design. The Kessler family were textile manufacturers; it makes you wonder about the commission and Dufy’s relationship to the industry. Editor: The quick, almost careless brushstrokes and limited palette speak to mass production. It’s interesting to think about how the manufacturing process mirrors Dufy's painting method here. Curator: It certainly challenges the notion of the artist as a solitary genius. Dufy was deeply embedded in the social and economic fabric of his time. Editor: Right. We see the Kesslers depicted with their wealth and status. The labor and materials are all there, in the final product. Curator: Looking at it through both our lenses offers a richer appreciation of the painting. Editor: Absolutely. It is a complex interplay of high art, craft, and social history!