Raoul Dufy

Born in Le Havre in 1877, Raoul Dufy was a leading Fauvist celebrated for a bright, decorative body of work. After early exhibitions in Paris alongside Matisse, Braque and Derain, he forged a distinctive style of luminous colour washes and calligraphic line. He is widely admired for scenes of modern leisure, and his work is held in major public collections worldwide.
 
The present painting captures the spectacle of the circus, a subject that drew many artists of the School of Paris at the turn of the twentieth century. Cirque Médrano became a gathering place for the likes of Van Dongen, Picasso, and Dufy, where movement and colour offered an exciting arena for studying the human figure.
 
What is perhaps most striking about Le Cirque is Dufy’s bold use of ochre which gives the painting strong wall power and conjures the joy of the ring. The composition feels modern and fully resolved, seen from a distinctive bird’s eye view.
 
The painting was commissioned directly from the artist by the paediatrician and collector Alexandre Roudinesco, in whose collection it remained for thirty-four years. Roudinesco was an avid and early School of Paris collector who cultivated close friendships with its artists, particularly Dufy who described him as an enthusiastic but very exacting client.
 
Overall, we consider this painting to be one of the strongest Dufy’s available on the market.

This original painting by Raoul Dufy is available for immediate purchase.