The square in Hyeres 

Curator: Looking at “The Square in Hyeres” one is immediately struck by Dufy’s use of light. Editor: It's joyous, isn’t it? An instant feeling of summer. The breezy application of watercolor gives the entire scene a feeling of insouciance. Curator: Indeed. While the date of execution is uncertain, the subject matter, a bustling town square in Hyeres, South of France, suggests the artist was deeply engaged in capturing a moment in time, albeit a moment rendered with extraordinary economy. Note the bare minimum needed to suggest a building facade, a tree. Editor: And consider Hyeres at this moment! As a popular resort destination for wealthy Europeans, this public square, immortalized by Dufy in his recognizable style, surely teemed with life. Curator: From a compositional standpoint, the contrast between the geometric architectural forms and the organic shapes of the trees and foliage creates a compelling visual rhythm. Dufy plays with our perception by employing a limited palette. Editor: I’m thinking about class too; watercolor at the time being viewed as a traditionally ‘feminine’ medium, adopted here en plein-air by a man also producing oil paintings; I wonder if this allowed Dufy access to locations considered to be more within the purview of women artists or amateurs? The paintings also sold well with middle class tourists, providing him with a solid income to subsidize his print making. Curator: Interesting idea. And, of course, Dufy wasn’t alone; many Impressionists before him chose watercolor as an integral part of their oeuvre. Here, however, the medium lends itself perfectly to the atmosphere of transient light and shadow. Look at how he suggests form without defining edges. Editor: The looseness verges on abstraction in some areas. But regardless, it remains firmly rooted in the observable world. As viewers today, do we romanticize that leisurely, privileged existence, reflected in the breezy application of strokes across the paper? Or perhaps we see this more clearly, as a moment embedded in historical context, ripe for reconsideration. Curator: Regardless of where you land in your assessment, one cannot deny Dufy's brilliance in evoking such a vivid sense of place. A fleeting, yet memorable impression. Editor: And ultimately, that lingering joy remains palpable.