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Ask any artist why they create, and they will tell you a number any number of reasons. But one thing that is common to many creatives is that they will endure many hardships for their art. Raoul Dufy who we will meet today, is one of those artists who tolerated great physical pain for his art. His use of vibrant colors and high energy images hid the physical discomfort he was in as he made them. But he did not stop, rather he became a pioneer for treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis, and was eventually featured in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
EARLY LIFE
Raoul Dufy was born June 3, 1877, Le Havre, France. Dufy would quit school at 14 to work as an errand boy. When he was 18, Dufy would begin taking art classes at Le Havre de École des Beaux-Arts (a local art school). He would work during the day and study at art at night. His talent as an artist were soon recognized, and, in 1900, he earned a small scholarship to École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
Description: Photograph of Raoul Dufy while in America
Credit: LIFE Magazine Archives
FROM FAUVSIM TO ART DECO
Five years later, Dufy would encounter Henri Matisse and other artists who would introduce Dufy to Fauve art style, which would be the first art style that Dufy would experiment with over the next decade. Fauvism was an art style that focused on color and its relation to the subject of the work, and while he would experiment with other styles he would return to Fauvism. The next art movement to catch Dufy’s eye was the departure from traditional uses of perspective and models by Cubism. The final movement that Dufy experimented with was the Art Deco movement, which looked to infuse everyday objects with artistic touches. Dufy’s dive into other art styles could be seen in his works. To earn a living Dufy would designing fabric patterns with Art Deco principles. Along with designing fabric patterns, Dufy would also do illustrations for books to earn money as well. By 1920s Dufy would settle on his own form of distinct form of Fauvism. His form focused on combining spontaneous outlines with areas of vivid color using thick paint applications and limited blending of colors.
ContreLeMur open edition print of Raoul Dufy entitled The Lighthouse at Honfleur, 1928-29 the original oil on canvas is currently off display at the Met in NY.
By 1925 Dufy had firmly established himself firmly as distinct painter in the world of French art. Such was his recognition that in 1937 Dufy was commissioned to paint a mural for the
International Exposition taking place in Paris. What Dufy would create La Fée Électricité (“The Electricity Fairy”), a titanic fresco that was over just over 6,458 square feet (600 m 2 ). Dufy would describe the purpose of the fresco was, “to promote the role of electricity in national life.” And such was Dufy’s enthusiasm with painting that he finished the fresco in just 10 months.
Description: La Fée Électricité (1937) fresco.
Credit: Raoul Dufy
ILLNES IMPACTS HIS ART
While at the height of his career, signs of the end started to show, when his hands started to
cramp in 1937. While he thought nothing of it at the time, the cramping wouldn’t fade. A short while later, Dufy was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While this hampered Dufy’s ability to paint, it didn’t dampen his spirits. He continued to paint, and when arthritis made it difficult for him to hold his brush, Dufy would tie it to his hand and continue working. But by 1950 the illness had taken its toll; Dufy had lost the use of his right hand – he still painted with his left hand, but that was difficult for him – and he couldn’t stand without assistance.
A TRAILBLAZER IN RESERACH
Hope for Dufy came in the form of Dr. Homburger, who wrote to Dufy offering the artist a
chance to participate in an experimental trial with ACTH (corticotropin). After discussing it with his personal physician, Dufy accepted Dr. Homburger’s invitation and set sail for Boston in April of 1950. Raoul Dufy's agreeing to try this treatment, made him one of the very first people to do so. The treatment, while not curing his arthritis, did alleviate the arthritis to the point the Dufy could paint as he once did. As thanks for the doctors works, Dufy would paint and donate a number of paintings to the doctors, and one to Dr. Homburger’s wife.
LATER LIFE
In 1952 Dufy would return to France, and a year later he would win the grand prize for painting in the 26th Venice Biennale. It would be the capstone to a long a memorable career. A year later, on March 23, 1953, Dufy would pass away in Forcalquier, France at the age of 76. The cause of his death intestinal hemorrhage, a side effect of 3 years of continuous treatment for his arthritis. A few days before his death, knowing it approached, Dufy, looking back at all his work, said, “I can die peacefully.”
More information on Raoul Dufy
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CLIFFORDS FINAL THOUGHT
Clifford says- "Did you know that arthritis has different causes?"
Osteoarthritis is due to the natural wear and tear on any joint. While Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder.
So, you can't treat all types of arthritis the same.
Raoul Dufy was just one artist who suffered from Rheumatoid arthritis another was Niki de Saint Phaile a French sculptor and painter.
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