The River 1905

Raoul Dufy made this painting of 'The River' with oil on canvas; it's now in a private collection. What strikes me most is how Dufy builds up the scene with these juicy, gestural marks. You can really sense the hand of the artist here, a joyful, rhythmic process that feels almost musical. The colors, though representational, have a life of their own. Look at that sky—a kind of lemony, atmospheric wash—and then those mountains, rendered in soft blues. The paint isn't overworked, but rather applied in loose, confident strokes. It's like he's capturing not just the scene, but the feeling of being in it. And check out the lower part of the painting, where the brushstrokes get really wild and expressive. It’s almost as if he's letting the paint do the talking. This reminds me of some of Matisse's landscapes, where color and form dance together in a similar way. It's a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, full of echoes and new interpretations.