Lot Essay
Fanny-Guillon Laffaille has kindly confirmed the authenticity of this work.
In 1900 Dufy moved to paris to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts under Léon Bonnat. By 1903, he had exhibitied at the Berthe Weil Gallery together with picasso, matisse, Derain, Vlaminck and Marquet. He also exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants for the first time this year.
This pastel was probably executed at the site of these steps in Montmartre (see fig.2). Dufy himself lived at the Quai Bourbon but painted mainly Parisian scenes in this year. The rich, deep blues and vivid greens displayed in this work reflect Dufy's fascination with colour and preempt his involvement in the Fauvist movement which was to reach it's height in 1906-07, and of which Dufy was a key member.
In 1900 Dufy moved to paris to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts under Léon Bonnat. By 1903, he had exhibitied at the Berthe Weil Gallery together with picasso, matisse, Derain, Vlaminck and Marquet. He also exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants for the first time this year.
This pastel was probably executed at the site of these steps in Montmartre (see fig.2). Dufy himself lived at the Quai Bourbon but painted mainly Parisian scenes in this year. The rich, deep blues and vivid greens displayed in this work reflect Dufy's fascination with colour and preempt his involvement in the Fauvist movement which was to reach it's height in 1906-07, and of which Dufy was a key member.