The Hunt (Design for fabric) 1919

Raoul Dufy made "The Hunt," a fabric design, at an unknown date with some printmaking process. The red and tan color scheme and the way the figures are outlined remind me of block prints, and the image is built up from rhythmic, repeated marks, like musical variations on a theme. It feels so playful, like Dufy had fun arranging and rearranging these shapes. Look closely at the way the plants form a dense, almost claustrophobic screen. The surface is so flat, and yet, the red and tan create a warm, almost tangible depth. I can almost smell the earth. See how Dufy uses these long, flowing lines to delineate the leaves, and how the marks define the curves of the dog. Each of these elements adds to the overall feeling of a lively, overgrown forest. This piece reminds me of Matisse's cutouts in their graphic simplicity and joyful arrangement of forms. Dufy, like Matisse, had a knack for turning ordinary scenes into something extraordinary. It's a reminder that art can be found in the everyday, and that even a design for fabric can be a form of artful expression.