Raoul Dufy’s Artist Easel

This remarkable easel offers a direct and authenticated connection to Raoul Dufy, one of France’s most celebrated modern painters. Formerly housed in his Paris studio, it was retained by Edouard Gaffié—the son of Henri Gaffié, executor of Dufy’s estate—who certified that the easel was removed from the artist’s workshop following his death. Tangible relics of an artist’s working life are exceptionally rare, and this example stands as one of the most compelling surviving artifacts linked to this important visionary of French modern art.

Constructed of beechwood, the easel displays the physical history of its use, including scattered traces of pigment that recall the painter’s characteristic palette. Its robust vertical frame, wheeled base and adjustable support reflect the practical demands of Dufy's works, whether large scale or small. The surface, worn and marked through years of creative labor, preserves the intimate environment in which Dufy’s vibrant scenes of regattas, orchestras and city boulevards took shape.

A central figure of early twentieth-century French art, Raoul Dufy moved fluidly through Fauvism and modern decorative design. Born in Le Havre in 1877, he forged a visual language defined by radiance and rhythmic line. His work across painting, textiles, stage design and mural commissions—including major projects for the Comédie-Française and the 1937 Exposition Internationale—distinguished him as one of the era’s most versatile artists.

Circa 1900

89" high x 29 1/2" wide x 33 1/2" deep

Provenance:
From the studio of Raoul Dufy, Paris
Removed and retained by Edouard Gaffié, son of Henri Gaffié, executor of the artist’s estate
By descent within the Gaffié family
Private collection, France
M.S. Rau, New Orleans