Blue Train 1920 - 1935

Raoul Dufy made "Blue Train" using watercolor on paper. Dufy, like many artists of his time, was captivated by the cultural shifts brought about by the rise of leisure travel. The Blue Train itself wasn't merely a mode of transportation, it was a symbol of luxury and access, primarily for the wealthy elite. Dufy's impressionistic style, with its airy brushstrokes and vibrant colors, evokes the carefree spirit of the French Riviera during this period. The train, rendered in a striking blue, cuts through a landscape dotted with palm trees and elegant villas. Dufy's work invites us to consider who had access to this lifestyle, and at what cost. While he celebrates the beauty and leisure of the French Riviera, we might also ask, whose labor sustained this vision? The painting becomes not just a depiction of leisure, but an entry point into thinking about class, privilege, and the complex social fabric of the time.