Dufy’s Sleepless Night in Atelier

• Yujin Lee
• 2024 August

“If an artist fails to capture light with their colors,
they cannot expect others to understand their paintings.”

When I hear the name Raoul Dufy, I first think of his beautifully flowing brushstrokes. His palette, shimmering with blues, pinks, greens, and yellows, reveals his unique sensibility. Yet his true charm lies in his unwavering dedication. Last year around this time, as if to prove this dedication, two simultaneous Dufy exhibitions opened in Seoul. I find myself falling in love with artists who leave behind so many works that their paintings constantly travel the world.

“The subject itself isn't important. What matters is how you express it.”

‍For Dufy, painting wasn’t simply about following rules to recreate reality—it was about capturing essence and creating new worlds. Art wasn't a means to fame or merely a profession; it was life itself. He worked across diverse media—murals, textiles, ceramics, portraits—never limiting himself to comfortable techniques but remaining humble before new approaches. He developed his distinctive style through constant experimentation, dedicating himself to art through nights of war, poverty, and illness. His statement that “my eyes were made to erase all ugliness from birth” seems to encapsulate those times when he sought to cover pain with beauty. Dufy left dozens of paintings of his studio alone. He stayed closest to nature and art, even at the cost of social gatherings and sleep. Rather than leaving his studio, he shared life's beauty with the world through his rich artistic universe.

“My studio is magnificent, with grand windows overlooking a spectacular view. I will create wonderful series with good models and the studio as backdrop.”

Dufy’s life teaches us that true art emerges from love and curiosity for the world, from wandering footsteps, from hours of solitary focus in the studio. When faced with life’s pain and frustration, we tend to withdraw, tempted to close ourselves off from the world. But I want to be someone who greets each day with curiosity and wonder for the world. I want to step out with the joy of being able to move my hands, rather than with lethargy, doubt, or cynicism. Instead of being caught up in narcissism or the desire to define myself through external validation, I want to focus on simple daily joys and challenges. There is great value in staying close to one’s work, even when life is difficult. Growing closer to your work means growing closer to the world. Through this movement, we create beauty and connect with something greater than ourselves.

“When I feel confused, the only thing I can do is return to studying nature.
Then I dive back into the subjects that touch my heart most deeply.”

What we ultimately gain from Dufy’s life and art is a hint about how to move forward steadily. While we might not immediately complete a large canvas, we can contemplate what keeps us feeling alive. We can choose how to approach what we love. We can decide to open our hearts a little more to our surroundings. We can find satisfaction in small moments and feel content with that happiness.
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The gesture of straightening your clothes before visiting an unfamiliar café, the pleasure of savoring a favorite dessert, the embarrassment and thrill of understanding someone you thought you could never like, the pleasant tension of posting a long blog entry after ages—like today... Without trying to assign grand meaning, we connect our senses to each tiny experience. All these experiences mirror how Dufy found inspiration in fleeting moments and elevated them to art.

The times when jealousy blooms in loving hearts, the self-reproach when we disappoint someone by mistake, the frustration when expected results don’t materialize, the moments we blush at memories of past embarrassments—these too are what make us who we are. These things hurt. But they help us let go of the obsession that everything must be perfect, and help us forgive the world. They make us realize how precious our enduring relationships are. And they let us feel how we're becoming better people because of them. Of course, we might not always feel this way. But at least we can choose to see it this way.

“I don't follow any system.
Any rules you might establish are merely devices to be discarded when the moment of creation arrives.”

‍Like Dufy, we live in confusing times. The world remains full of cruel news and endless demands for attention. We cannot avoid all approaching adversities. Nevertheless, the attitude of living each moment to the fullest, the courage to stay open yet unwavering on our own path—these will ultimately become the driving force that creates meaning in our lives.

Just as Dufy's sleepless nights in the studio weren’t products of suffering, but rather times that proved his love for the world.

*All paintings included in this essay are Dufy’s works depicting his studio. While nature was his most frequent subject, I’m more drawn to his studio paintings. His gaze, continuously reinterpreting the same space over decades, shows affection. Though depicting the same everyday space, we can read his concerns and emotions in the slightly changing colors, objects, and compositions. Though they may look similar, each day is new.