Street Decked with Flags 1906

Raoul Dufy's painting, ‘Street Decked with Flags’ is a party of colour made with oil on canvas. I love how Dufy approaches painting like a balancing act, layering washes of colour to create a sense of depth. The painting is all about the surface, the colours are laid down in translucent washes which capture the feeling of a festive day. You can see the way he applied the paint, it’s very thin in places, and yet the colour still pops, there's a real joy in how the buildings are depicted, as if each one has its own character. Look at the way the flags overlap, creating a dynamic sense of movement. The brush strokes are loose and free, almost like he's sketching with paint. Dufy reminds me of Matisse in his use of colour to convey mood. But also someone like Bonnard, someone who sees the world through the lens of the everyday, finding beauty in the simplest of scenes. Dufy is playing with colour and form, inviting us to see the world in a new way.