Boats at Martigues 1908

Raoul Dufy made this small painting, Boats at Martigues, with oils on canvas, and the scene feels like a memory – bright, buoyant, and a little hazy around the edges. Imagine Dufy with his brush, quickly laying down these strokes of vibrant color. See how the boats are outlined in bold greens and reds, while the water shimmers with blues and purples. Look at the looseness and simplicity of the forms; it’s like he’s captured the feeling of being there, rather than a literal depiction. The scene is dreamlike and a bit tipsy, as if remembered through rose-tinted glasses. Dufy's work always makes me think about pleasure – his paintings are celebrations of life, color, and movement. And like many artists, he's having a conversation with those who came before him, echoing the Fauvist painters’ love of pure color, but with his own breezy touch. It's a reminder that painting is an ongoing experiment, an exchange of ideas across time.