The Basin of Deauville 1935

Raoul Dufy paints “The Basin of Deauville” with the loose, joyous touch of someone completely immersed in the act of painting. The palette here is all about playful complements – the yellow masts zing against the cloudy sky. Look at how Dufy balances the chaos of the scene. It’s a whirlwind of masts and sails, yet he anchors it all with these confident, almost scribbled lines. It’s like he’s saying, "I’m not trying to trick you into thinking this is real. This is paint, this is process." The thin washes of color allow the white of the canvas to shine through, giving the painting a breezy, light-filled quality. It reminds me a bit of Matisse, actually, that same joy in pure color and the playful flattening of space. Dufy isn't trying to capture reality so much as he's sharing the sheer pleasure of seeing. It’s a reminder that art isn’t about answers, but about embracing the endless possibilities of seeing and feeling.