“The theme of regattas appeared very early in Dufy’s oeuvre (1907-08).  He was to orchestrate it in many different variations, preceded by a lar💟ge number of ensemble and detail studies – in Le Havre and Deauville, between 1925 and 1934 and, in England, at Henley and Cowes between 1930 and 1934 – from which he would make lively compositions.  He returned to this theme over and over again, expanding and transforming it.  The variations arise in the structure of the paintings and the choice and arrangement of colors.  A master of this technique, he made use of an increasingly free and dynamic composition, with vibrant colors exploding in a fanfare to announce the start of the race.  His lines sacrifice detail in order to convey the general impression.

Even more important than the flags on the boats at the Harbor at Deauville (fig. 1) are the banners at the Regattas at Henley, with their brilliant colors and disproportionate dimensions.  They are placed in the foreground to orchestrate this explosion of joy and happiness.  The constant factor in all these variations is the general feeling of elation, the atmosphere of jubilation” (Dora Perez-Tibi, Dufy, New York, 1989, p. 158).

The present work is one of nine paintings, executed in various sizes, depicting the colorful banners at the starting line of the crew races at Henley. ෴; One of this series hangs in the Musée Massena, Nice.

Fig 1. Raoul Dufy, The Harbor at Deauville, oil on canvas, 14 by 17 🎃¾ in. Private Collection.