RAOUL DUFY (Le Havre 1877-1953 Forcalquier) L'ancien casino de Nice, de nuit. Circa 1947. Oil on canvas. Signed lower left: Raoul Dufy. 38.5 × 47 cm. Certificate: Fanny Guillon-Laffaille, Bois Colombes, 17.9.2024 (No. Ps-0093). Provenance: - With Galerie Rosengart, Lucerne, no. 2962 (label verso). - Private collection, Switzerland, acquired in 1960 at the above gallery and thence by descent. Our thanks to Fanny Guillon-Laffaille for confirming the authenticity of this work. Although Raoul Dufy does not live permanently in Nice, he spends much time on the picturesque Côte d'Azur, where he creates and finds peace. This region attracts many artists, including Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, who, like Dufy, are inspired by the natural beauty and unique light of the French Riviera. Influenced by Impressionism and later Fauvism, Dufy soon develops his own style. He often creates lively compositions that depict marine or urban landscapes and captivate with sensual, vibrant colours. The present work shows the old casino in Nice, which displays all the opulence of the Belle Époque. The magnificent building with its elegant domes, majestic silhouette, immense windows, ornamental features and balustrades was a popular gathering place for elite society until its demolition in 1944. "L'ancien casino de Nice, de nuit" illustrates the way in which Dufy simplified and abstracted forms in his later works. With flowing lines and understated design, he depicts lightness and fresh air with energy and liveliness. Dufy skilfully captures the almost magical atmosphere, using characteristic colours: bright green-yellow for the casino, dancing passers-by and the crescent moon floating over the city; primarily blue tones for the sky, the sea and the avenue; and a soft lavender-violet for the sidewalk. ------------------------------------------------- RAOUL DUFY (Le Havre 1877-1953 Forcalquier) L'ancien casino de Nice, de nuit. Circa 1947. Oil on canvas. Signed lower left: Raoul Dufy. 38.5 × 47 cm. Expertise: Fanny Guillon-Laffaille, Bois Colombes, 17.9.2024 (no. Ps-0093). Provenance: - Galerie Rosengart, Lucerne, no. 2962 (label on verso). - Swiss private collection, acquired from the above gallery in 1960 and by inheritance to the present owners. We would like to thank Fanny Guillon-Laffaille for confirming the authenticity of the work. Although Raoul Dufy does not live permanently in Nice, he spends a lot of time on the picturesque Côte d'Azur, where he is creatively active and can relax. This region attracts many artists, including Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, who, like Dufy, are inspired by the natural beauty and unique light of the French Riviera. Influenced by Impressionism and later by Fauvism, Dufy soon developed his own style. He created dynamic compositions that depicted maritime or urban landscapes and captivated the viewer with their sensual, vibrant colouring. The present work depicts the old casino in Nice, which reflects the opulence of the Belle Époque. The magnificent building with its elegant domes, majestic silhouette, large windows, ornamental decorations and balustrades was a favourite meeting place for wealthy society until its destruction in 1944. "L'ancien casino de Nice, de nuit" illustrates how Dufy simplified and abstracted forms in his later works. With flowing lines and a reduced design, he conveys lightness, freshness and a sense of energy and vibrancy. Dufy skilfully captures the almost magical atmosphere, using characteristic colours: bright green-yellow for the casino, dancing passers-by and the crescent moon hovering over the city, dominant shades of blue for the sky, the sea and the avenue, and a soft lavender-violet for the pavement.