Raoul Dufy

French painter. Born in Le Havre on June 3rd to a family that loved music. Music would later become an important theme in his paintings. From the age of 14, he worked for a coffee importer to help support his family, while studying at night at the city's art school. In 1900, he received a city scholarship and went to Paris to study at the École des Beaux-Arts (National School of Fine Arts) under Léon Bonnat. He was initially influenced by impressionists such as Manet, Monet, and Pissarro, and also showed an interest in the sharp lines of Toulouse-Lautrec. In 1905, his encounter with Matisse's "Luxury, Silence, Ecstasy," exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants, had a decisive impact on Dufy. He became aware of the expressive power of color and became a member of the Fauves. After that, his works began to show a compositional tendency after a Cézanne retrospective in 1907 and a collaboration with Braque at L'Estaque the following year, but from around 1909, he began to shift to a bright, decorative style with elegance and humor. After working on book illustrations, he also became interested in decorative arts, and in 2011, with the assistance of the fashion designer Paul Poiret, he began to design textiles, actively dabbling in this field. In 1920, he was in charge of the set design for the ballet "Taurus on the Roof," with a libretto by Cocteau and music by Milhaud.

While he made such great contributions as a decorator, he also established his own mature style with his masterpiece "Bance" in 1919. Lively lines are layered over pure expanses of color, creating a witty and joyful atmosphere. His subjects are often lively, such as horse races and yacht races, and the moving elements are contrasted with the tranquil space. His deep love of music led to the creation of many works on music, such as the "Orchestra" series. For the Paris World Exposition in 1937, he created a large mural for the Electricity Pavilion. In his later years, he acquired a kind of rigor, and his original cheerfulness was given new strength and harmony. In 1952, the year before his death, he won the International Grand Prize at the Venice Biennale. He also actively worked on watercolors and prints throughout his life, leaving behind many works that are simple, lively, and humorous. He died on March 23, 1953 in Forcalquier, southern France.

[Tatsuji Omori]

"Dufy" by A. Werner, translated by Tadao Ogura (1972, Bijutsu Shuppansha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

フランスの画家。6月3日、ル・アーブルの音楽を愛好する家庭に生まれる。音楽はのちに彼の絵の重要な主題となる。14歳からコーヒー輸入商の下で働き家計を助けるが、かたわら同市美術学校の夜間コースに学ぶ。1900年、市の奨学金を得てパリに出、エコール・デ・ボザール（国立美術学校）のレオン・ボナのアトリエに入る。初めマネ、モネ、ピサロなど印象派の影響を受け、またロートレックの鋭い線にも関心を示した。05年、アンデパンダン展に展示されたマチスの『豪奢(ごうしゃ)・静寂・逸楽』との出会いは、デュフィに決定的な影響を与えた。彼は色彩のもつ表現力に目覚め、フォーブの一員となる。その後、07年のセザンヌ回顧展や、翌年のレスタックでのブラックとの制作を機に、作品には構成的傾向が現れるようになったが、09年ごろから、優美さとユーモアを備えた明るい装飾的画風に転じていく。本の挿絵を手がけてからは装飾美術にも関心を抱き、11年には服飾デザイナー、ポール・ポワレの助力を得て織物のデザインを始めるなど、この分野にも積極的に手を染めた。20年にはコクトーの台本、ミヨーの音楽によるバレエ『屋根の上の牡牛(おうし)』の舞台装置を担当している。

　このように装飾家としても大きな貢献をする一方、1919年の大作『バンス』とともに彼の絵は成熟した独自のスタイルを確立するに至る。純粋な色彩の広がりの上に生き生きとした線描が重ねられ、機知に富んだ楽しげな雰囲気が醸し出される。選ばれる主題も競馬やヨットレースなど快活なものが多く、動きのある諸要素が静穏な空間と対比される。また、音楽に対する深い愛好は「オーケストラ」シリーズなど、音楽を題材とした数多くの作品を生んだ。37年のパリ万国博覧会に際しては、電気館のために大壁画を制作。晩年には一種の厳しさを獲得し、本来の陽気さが新たな強さと調和を保つようにもなった。死の前年の52年、ベネチア・ビエンナーレで国際大賞を受賞。また、生涯を通じて水彩画・版画にも積極的に取り組み、簡潔さと生気とユーモアを備えた多くの作品を残している。53年3月23日南仏フォルカルキエで没。

［大森達次］

『A・ヴェルナー著、小倉忠夫訳『デュフィ』（1972・美術出版社）』

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