Raoul Dufy

Le Havre – The Artists – Dufy, Raoul – Part 1

This page forms part of a series of pages dedicated to the many artists who worked 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.

Raoul Dufy
Raoul Dufy

Movement(s): Cubism, Fauvism, Impressionism, Modernism

Raoul Dufy (1877 – 1953) was a French Fauvist painter, brother of Jean Dufy. He developed a colorful, decorative style that became fashionable for designs of ceramics and textiles, as well as decorative schemes for public buildings. He is noted for scenes of open-air social events. He was also a draftsman, printmaker, book illustrator, scenic designer, a designer of furniture, and a planner of public spaces.

Raoul Dufy was born into a large family at Le Havre, in Normandy. He left school at the age of fourteen to work in a coffee-importing company. In 1895, when he was 18, he started taking evening classes in art at Le Havre’s École des Beaux-Arts (municipal art school).

The classes were taught by Charles L’Huillier, who had been, forty years earlier, a student of the French portrait-painter, Ingres. There, Dufy met Raimond Lecourt and Othon Friesz with whom he later shared a studio in Montmartre and to whom he remained a lifelong friend (he also met the de Saint-Delis brothers there, Henri de Saint-Delis and Rene de Saint-Delis). During this period, Dufy painted mostly Norman landscapes in watercolors.

In 1900, after a year of military service, Dufy won a scholarship to the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where again he crossed paths with Othon Friesz. He concentrated on improving his drawing skills. The impressionist landscape painters, such as Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro, influenced Dufy profoundly. His first exhibition (at the Exhibition of French Artists) took place in 1901.

Introduced to Berthe Weill in 1902, Dufy showed his work in her gallery. Then he exhibited again in 1903 at the Salon des Indépendants. A boost to his confidence: the painter, Maurice Denis, bought one of his paintings. Dufy continued to paint, often in the vicinity of Le Havre, and, in particular, on the beach at Sainte-Adresse, made famous by Eugene Boudin and Claude Monet. In 1904, with his friend, Albert Marquet, he worked in Fecamp on the English Channel (La Manche).

By 1950, his hands were struck with rheumatoid arthritis and his ability to paint diminished, as he had to fasten the brush to his hand. In April he went to Boston to undergo an experimental treatment with cortisone and corticotropin, based on the work of Philip S. Hench.

It proved successful, and some of his next works were dedicated to the doctors and researchers in the United States. In 1952 he received the grand prize for painting in the 26th Venice Biennale.

Dufy died at Forcalquier, France, on 23 March 1953, of intestinal bleeding, which was a likely result of his continuous treatment. He was buried near Matisse in the Cimiez Monastery Cemetery in Cimiez, a suburb of the city of Nice.

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

NOTE: Despite the sheer number of paintings you see below, they are only a small sample of his works of Le Havre. Another page deals with his paintings of two of the surroundings of Le Havre; Sainte-Adresse and Harfleur. Click here to read it..

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

NOTE: A black box 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.

NOTE: A blue box like this one, means there is an explanation or a note.

1885 Raoul Dufy - The Basin de la Barre
1885 Raoul Dufy – The Basin de la Barre

NOTE: The “bassin de la Barre” is no longer used for ships, instead it’s the home of a rowing club.

1902 Raoul Dufy - The Orchestra of Theatre of Le Havre
1902 Raoul Dufy – The Orchestra of Theatre of Le Havre
1902 Raoul Dufy - The Orchestra of Theatre of Le Havre
1902 Raoul Dufy – The Orchestra of Theatre of Le Havre
1904 Raoul Dufy - Yacht with Flags at Le Havre
1904 Raoul Dufy – Yacht with Flags at Le Havre

NOTE: Still today, you will see many yachts and other ships in Le Havre, with sails and flags.

1905 Raoul Dufy - The Berth in Le Havre
1905 Raoul Dufy – The Berth in Le Havre
1905 Raoul Dufy - The Port of Le Havre
1905 Raoul Dufy – The Port of Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy - 14th July in Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy – 14th July in Le Havre

NOTE: Obviously the 14th of July (Bastille Day) is still celebrated extensively in Le Havre (and all over France), culminating in a massive fireworks display over the beach.

1906 Raoul Dufy - 14th July in Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy – 14th July in Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy - 14th July in Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy – 14th July in Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy - Departure of the Regattas at Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy – Departure of the Regattas at Le Havre

NOTE: Sail races are a normal and very regular occurrence in Le Havre and neighboring Sainte-Adresse.

1906 Raoul Dufy - Festival at Sainte Adresse
1906 Raoul Dufy – Festival at Sainte Adresse

NOTE: The villa you see above (the red one with towers) still exists. It’s called “Villa Maritime – click here to read more about it“. You will see it again after the next one below and the one after that.

1906 Raoul Dufy - July 14th at Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy – July 14th at Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy - The Beach at Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy – The Beach at Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy - The Beach at Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy – The Beach at Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy - The Port of Le Havre
1906 Raoul Dufy – The Port of Le Havre
1908 Raoul Dufy - The Church of St. Vincent at Le Havre
1908 Raoul Dufy – The Church of St. Vincent at Le Havre

NOTE: The Saint-Vincent church still exists in Le Havre, and is the oldest church there.

1910 Raoul Dufy - Fisherman with the net in Le Havre
1910 Raoul Dufy – Fisherman with the net in Le Havre
1910 Raoul Dufy - The Beach at Le Havre
1910 Raoul Dufy – The Beach at Le Havre
1910 Raoul Dufy - The Casino Marie-Christine at Le Havre
1910 Raoul Dufy – The Casino Marie-Christine at Le Havre
1915 Raoul Dufy - House and Garden at Le Havre
1915 Raoul Dufy – House and Garden at Le Havre
1922 Raoul Dufy - The Promenade at Le Havre
1922 Raoul Dufy – The Promenade at Le Havre

NOTE: Again this is the “Villa Maritime” that still exists in Le Havre.

1924 Raoul Dufy - Entrance to the Port of Le Havre
1924 Raoul Dufy – Entrance to the Port of Le Havre

NOTE: The church you see here is the “Notre Dame des Flots” in the Sainte-Adresse city (suburb of Le Havre).

1924 Raoul Dufy - The Pier at Le Havre
1924 Raoul Dufy – The Pier at Le Havre
1925 Raoul Dufy - Maritime Fete and Official Visit to Le Havre
1925 Raoul Dufy – Maritime Fete and Official Visit to Le Havre
1925 Raoul Dufy - Nautical Festival at Le Havre
1925 Raoul Dufy – Nautical Festival at Le Havre
1926 Raoul Dufy - The Pier and the Beach at Le Havre
1926 Raoul Dufy – The Pier and the Beach at Le Havre
1929 Raoul Dufy - The Artist's Studio in Le Havre
1929 Raoul Dufy – The Artist’s Studio in Le Havre
1935 Raoul Dufy - The Bay of Le Havre and Sainte Adresse
1935 Raoul Dufy – The Bay of Le Havre and Sainte Adresse
1938 Raoul Dufy - Composition, Boats, Shell on the Bay of Sainte Adresse
1938 Raoul Dufy – Composition, Boats, Shell on the Bay of Sainte Adresse
1950 Raoul Dufy - July 14th at Le Havre
1950 Raoul Dufy – July 14th at Le Havre

Raoul Dufy painted in several places in France (but notably in Normandy), the list is shown below (a link “” to the works for each city will appear below when published):

Here are the painters/artists who painted in Le Havre (a “*” indicates that the artist did not worked directly in Le Havre itself, instead worked closeby, a link “” to the artist’s works will appear below when published):

NOTE: You can subscribe to our new articles by entering your email address in the box on the right column (or at the very bottom of this article) and clicking on the button “Subscribe”.

You will need to check your incoming emails and validate your subscription. If you can’t see an email from us, check your Spam folder. Without validating your email address, you will not get notifications from us. WE WILL NEVER GIVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES TO ANYONE!

Related Posts

  • 10000
    Le Havre - IntroductionLe Havre is a city that has been rebuilt completely after WWII with a particular and special style. It's so unique that it was put on the United Nation UNESCO World Heritage sites.
  • 10000
    Le Havre - Jardins Suspendu (Hanging Gardens)The Jardins Suspendu, in English the Hanging Gardens is a vast garden on the heights of Le Havre overlooking the city. The whole garden area is built on an old fort. The building of the Fort de St. Adresse started in 1854. Although not directly involved during the First World War…
  • 10000
    Le Havre - St. Joseph ChurchOf all the things to see in Le Havre, this is probably the number one item. Le Havre is not a touristy city with a lot of monuments, but the Saint-Joseph church is special, very special. Le Havre's St. Joseph church with its high tower The St. Joseph church is first…
  • 10000
    Le Havre - The HarbourThe harbour of Le Havre is France's second largest, second after Marseille, and the biggest in France for containers (and Europe's 5th largest). Every day you can see many big cargo ships arrive or depart from this port. In fact, there are two main harbours; the "historical one" and "Port…
  • 10000
    Le Havre - The BeachThe beach of Le Havre is the prime destination of the city's inhabitants and for many who come from as far away as Paris. As is the case with most of Upper Normandy, the beach is made out of pebbles, not sand. But in the summer months it gets very…
Today - Sailboats and Flags are still seen regularly
Today – Sailboats and Flags are still seen regularly
Today - Regatta and other Sail Races are a normal and very regular occurrence in Le Havre
Today – Regatta and other Sail Races are a normal and very regular occurrence in Le Havre
Today - The Saint Vincent Church
Today – The Saint Vincent Church
The Fishermen's church called Notre Dame des Flots in Sainte-Adresse, Normandy
Today – The Fishermen’s church called Notre Dame des Flots in Sainte-Adresse, Normandy
Scroll to Top