Birdcage 1914

Raoul Dufy made this ‘Birdcage’ with paint, it’s hard to say exactly when. Look at how he approaches mark making. Each mark is considered, laid down like a piece in a puzzle, building up the image piece by piece. The texture of the paint is thin and washy, not trying to hide the canvas underneath. It's like he's inviting us to witness the process, not just the finished product. You can see how the colors are almost transparent in places, creating layers of depth with each stroke. Notice the dome of the birdcage; he builds the form using these beautiful, loose marks of different colors and tones. It's really beautiful how each mark plays its own unique part in the overall structure, you can almost imagine him stepping back to look at how it all comes together. Dufy’s style is like a conversation with Matisse, both use color to unlock feelings. The ambiguity of the image invites us to engage, to bring our own stories and meanings.