The artwork, titled “The Beach at Havre,” was created by Raoul Dufy in 1910. Rendered in oil on canvas, this piece measures 46.5 x 55 cm. It is associated with the Cubism and Post-Impressionism movements and falls under the genre of cityscape. Currently, it resides in a private collection.
In “The Beach at Havre,” Raoul Dufy employs bold, vivid colors and strong, geometric structures typical of Cubism and Post-Impressionism. The composition features an array of buildings depicted with an emphasis on form and structure. The roofs and walls are portrayed in vibrant hues of blue, red, and orange, interspersed with green and yellow, evoking a lively and bustling atmosphere. The brushwork is dynamic, capturing the essence of the scene with an expressive, almost abstract quality. The sky is rendered in swipes of blue and hints of white, mirroring the energetic and vivid aesthetic that dominates the entire painting. While the forms are slightly distorted, they maintain a recognizable resemblance to a cityscape near the beach, treated with an innovative and experimental approach indicative of the early 20th century artistic explorations.