Le Havre – The Artists – Dufy, Jean – Travel Information and Tips for France

This page forms part of a series of pages dedicated to the many artists who painted in Le Havre. A full list of all the artists with a link to their works can be found at the bottom of this page.

Jean Dufy was born in Le Havre, France on March 12, 1888 into a large family. His older brother was the well-known painter Raoul Dufy, who became a mentor throughout Jean’s career. Jean Dufy had received formal education at the “Ecole Primaire Superieure du Havre“.

Upon completing his schooling at age 16, Dufy took a job as an itinerant clerk with a French overseas import company, and later as a secretary on the transatlantic liner La Savole which traveled between Le Havre and New York City.

In 1906 Dufy visited an exhibition put on by the “Cercle de l’Art Moderne” in Le Havre, where he discovered the work of Picasso, Derain, with whom become friends years later, and Matisse, whose painting “Fenêtre ouverte à Coillourea” urged him to decide to pursue a career as a painter. In January 1914 his watercolours were presented at the Galerie Berthe Weill.

Shortly after his first exhibition, Dufy was drafted into World War I as a horse soldier. After serving in the military for two years, in 1912 the young artist moved to Paris and settle in Montmartre to participate in the Parisian art scene.

In 1920 he returned to Paris and settled in the artist quarter Montmartre, next door to Georges Braque. Braque, a friend of his brother Raoul Dufy, encouraged him to experiment with the Cubist style. Another of Raoul’s friends, Othon Friesz, exposed him to the Fauve movement. He also spent time there with Picasso, Apollinaire, and Derain, among others.

Two months after the death of his wife, Jean Dufy died on May 12, 1964, in La Boissiere in the village of Boussay.

Click here to read Jean Dufy’s full bio on Wikipedia.

NOTE: Click on any painting below for a bigger version (no new window will open).

NOTE: A blackbox like this one, means that there is an explanation text about today’s situation of the painting above it.
NOTE: Click on this photo icon anywhere below a painting to see a photo of what the area looks like today.

1924 Jean Dufy - The Basin de la Manche at Le Havre — 1924 Jean Dufy – The “Bassin de la Manche” at Le Havre

1924 Jean Dufy – The “Bassin de la Manche” at Le Havre

NOTE: The “Bassin de la Manche” still exists and is the harbour part where the ferry to the United Kingdom departs/arrives.

1924 Jean Dufy - The La Manche Basin at Le Havre seen from the Southampton Dock — 1924 Jean Dufy – The La Manche Basin at Le Havre seen from the Southampton Dock

NOTE: The Southampton Docks still exists overlooking the ferry.

1924 Jean Dufy - Port of Le Havre — 1924 Jean Dufy – Port of Le Havre

1924 Jean Dufy - John Kennedy Road in Le Havre — 1924 Jean Dufy – Chaussee John Kennedy in Le Havre

TODAY: The Chaussee John Kennedy is located just next to the Muma museum and the Harbour master building.

1924 Jean Dufy - The Front Port of Le Havre — 1924 Jean Dufy – The Front Port of Le Havre

1925 Jean Dufy - Port of Le Havre — 1925 Jean Dufy – Port of Le Havre

1925 Jean Dufy - The La Manche Basin at Le Havre — 1925 Jean Dufy – The La Manche Basin at Le Havre

1928 Jean Dufy - Port, Le Havre — 1928 Jean Dufy – Port, Le Havre

NOTE: Although the lighthouse in the painting above has been replaced, the pier and new lighthouse are still very visible at the harbour entrance.

1925 Jean Dufy - View of the Port of Le Havre — 1925 Jean Dufy – View of the Port of Le Havre

1927 Jean Dufy - Port of Le Havre — 1927 Jean Dufy – Port of Le Havre

1927 Jean Dufy - Sailing Boats in the Front Port of Le Havre — 1927 Jean Dufy – Sailing Boats in the Front Port of Le Havre

1929 Jean Dufy - The Pier on the Quai de Southampton in Le Havre — 1929 Jean Dufy – The Pier on the Quai de Southampton in Le Havre

1929 Jean Dufy - Le Havre — 1929 Jean Dufy – Le Havre

1929 Jean Dufy - Ocean Liner Leaving the Port of Le Havre — 1929 Jean Dufy – Ocean Liner Leaving the Port of Le Havre

NOTE: Today, there are still many cruise ships coming and leaving Le Havre, at times there can be as many as 4 of them on one day.

1937 Jean Dufy - The Basin de la Manche at Le Havre — 1937 Jean Dufy – The Basin de la Manche at Le Havre

1938 Jean Dufy - The Quai Videcoq at Le Havre — 1938 Jean Dufy – The Quai Videcoq at Le Havre

NOTE: The “Quai Videcoq” still exists, it’s the basin where the small coastal fishing boats moore.

1940 Jean Dufy - Le Havre, corner of the Chausee John Kennedy and Boulevard Francois Ier — 1940 Jean Dufy – Le Havre, corner of the Chaussee John Kennedy and Boulevard Francois Ier

1955 Jean Dufy - Le Havre — 1955 Jean Dufy – Le Havre

???? Jean Dufy - The Basin de la Manche at Le Havre — ???? Jean Dufy – The Basin de la Manche at Le Havre

???? Jean Dufy - The Port of Le Havre — ???? Jean Dufy – The Port of Le Havre

???? Jean Dufy - Le Havre — ???? Jean Dufy – Le Havre

???? Jean Dufy - Port of Le Havre — ???? Jean Dufy – Port of Le Havre

???? Jean Dufy - Sailboats at Le Havre — ???? Jean Dufy – Sailboats at Le Havre

???? Jean Dufy - The de la Manche Basin at Le Havre — ???? Jean Dufy – The de la Manche Basin at Le Havre

???? Jean Dufy - The Le Havre Port, angle Southampton Quay and Notre Dame Quay — ???? Jean Dufy – The Le Havre Port, angle Southampton Quay and Notre Dame Quay

Jean Dufy painted in a few cities in Normandy. Here are the cities and places he painted in Normandy (a link “⇠” to his works in those cities will appear below when published):

Here are the painters/artists who painted in Le Havre:

Click here for a map listing all artists and where they painted in the Le Havre area.

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