The artwork, titled “The Surrender of the Frigate,” was created by Raoul Dufy in 1934. It employs the medium of gouache on panel and is an example of the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement, specifically in the genre painting category.
In this artwork, a scene of naval surrender is vividly depicted with a blend of simplified forms and expressive colors typical of Naïve Art. The composition features a group of naval officers, rendered in uniformed regalia, amidst a bustling scene on a ship’s deck. The looming presence of a large flag suggests an act of capitulation, and the vertical figures on both sides serve to emphasize the ceremonial nature of the event. The colors are applied with a bold and somewhat exaggerated brushstroke, creating a sense of immediacy and emotion. The upper part of the artwork displays a crowd of soldiers and onlookers, their postures conveying solemnity and gravity appropriate to the scene’s historical significance. Overall, Dufy’s work captures both the formality and the tension of the surrender, encapsulating a dramatic moment with his distinctive artistic style.
