Treading the blue sky 1949

Raoul Dufy made this painting, "Treading the blue sky", with oil on canvas. There’s a kind of joyful looseness here, isn't there? The way Dufy lays down color feels so intuitive, almost like a sketch, but the composition is clearly carefully considered. Look at that purple in the sky against the yellows and oranges below. That juxtaposition really sings. I'm really drawn to the texture, or lack thereof. The paint seems applied thinly, allowing the surface of the canvas to breathe. It's not about building up layers; it's more about capturing a fleeting moment, a sensation. Check out the area around the wheels. The way he suggests movement with just a few flicks of the brush. It's like he’s saying, "Here’s the essence of a wheel, no need to get bogged down in details." There's something about Dufy’s approach that reminds me of Matisse. Both artists have this incredible ability to distill the world around them into pure color and form. They both embrace ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the work.