After an intense period working in the brilliant colors of Fauvism, Dufy developed an elegant, decorative approach to painting that has the freshness of a watercolor sketch.

This canvas, from his mature period, shows a resort on the Normandy coast of France not far from his hometown. Within the grey-blue color scheme of the port, only a few objects of intense local color stand out, such as the French flag and the decks of the yachts. Shapes are defined with energetic lines that convey the artist's enthusiasm for the sea. Dufy's rapidly rendered, sketch-like style captures the harbor's constantly shifting forms and colors, as well as its animated mood.

(back to top)