Nature morte au panier de mimosa by Jean Dufy

Jean Dufy
1888-1964 | French

Nature morte au panier de mimosa 

Signed “Jean Dufy 29” (lower right)
Oil on canvas

Jean Dufy, French painter and ceramicist who was the younger brother to Raoul Dufy, created this stunning still-life, which encapsulates the peak vibrance of the Parisian avant-garde movement. While Dufy is best known for painting city scenes, circuses and musicians, this painting brings together two major inspirations of the artist: porcelain design and flowers. Dufy combined a Fauvist color palette and bold, energetic brushstrokes with an homage to his lauded porcelain painting skills in Nature morte au panier de mimosa. This work exemplifies the groundbreaking vision of Dufy and his avant-garde circle, combining various media to create an artistic realm that transcends reality. 

The still-life features Dufy’s distinctive, boisterous color palette and his characteristic use of patchwork-esque brushwork. A vase of roses, a basket of mimosa flowers, an apple, oranges and a porcelain tea cup and saucer rest on the table. A single wilted rose rests on the table, subtly blended into the electric green table. Once a next-door neighbor to Georges Braque, the flattened surface of the table and fragmented composition reflect the great Cubist's influence on Dufy and his experimentation with still lifes.

In this work, Dufy also pays tribute to his multi-decade partnership with the renowned Théodore Haviland, for whom he began working as a porcelain painter in 1916 in Limoges, France. In the painted tea set, Dufy recreates the Bussière motif, featuring blue and red blooms set on a glimmering white background. The original motif was exhibited at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs, where he won a gold medal for porcelain design.

Born in Le Havre in 1888, Dufy was one of ten siblings, including his older brother Raoul. Jean studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Le Havre before moving to the capital to join Raoul, who by this time had already established himself as an artist in Paris. Raoul took Jean under his wing and introduced him to a circle of Post-Impressionist artists that deeply influenced Jean’s painting approach, including Derain, Picasso and Cézanne. His first solo exhibition occurred in Paris in 1914, at age 26, and he consistently exhibited thereafter both in France and America. Since his death in 1964, appreciation for his work has grown steadily, and his works can be found in major art museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. 

This work will be featured in the upcoming catalogue raisonné currently being prepared by Jacques Bailly. 

Dated 1929

Canvas: 21 1/4” high x 17 5/8” wide (53.98 x 44.77 cm)
Frame: 27 7/8" high x 24 1/4" wide x 2 7/8" wide (70.80 x 61.60 x 7.30 cm)