The Racecourse of Deauville 1950

Editor: We’re looking at "The Racecourse of Deauville," a watercolor painting done in 1950 by Raoul Dufy. It definitely captures the breezy, carefree feeling of a day at the races. There's a looseness to the strokes, like he's chasing a fleeting moment. How do you read this piece? Curator: Fleeting moments, captured on gossamer wings! Yes, exactly. Dufy doesn't give us photorealism; he hands us the sensation of a day brimming with light and possibility. Notice how the colors seem to vibrate independently? The blues of the sky barely touch the greens of the field, but your eye mixes them. He’s practically daring you to dream the rest of the scene. Editor: That's true; the colors almost dance. It feels less about horses racing and more about…joy? Curator: Joy, yes! A light-hearted abandon. For Dufy, painting wasn't about replication; it was about distilling an essence. Do you feel how the scene exists almost on the cusp of abstraction, of pure sensation? It's impressionism but pushed further towards pure, unadulterated feeling. The horses almost look like musical notes dancing on the page. Editor: I never thought of it like that, but I can totally see that musical quality. Curator: That's the magic, isn't it? Dufy takes something as conventional as a horse race and infuses it with sheer joie de vivre. What do you take away from it? Editor: Definitely seeing impressionism in a new light. It's not just capturing what's there but feeling what's there. Curator: Beautifully put! It's about inviting the viewer to feel that buzz of life, too, as though we are right there on that breezy day at Deauville.