Galerie Louis Carré, Paris
Knoedler Galleries, Inc., New York
Acquired circa 1938

Fanny Guillon-Laffaille, Raoul Dufy, Catalogue raisonné des aquarelles, gouaches et pastels, vol. l, Paris, 1981,  no. 989, illustrated p. 361

Very good condition. Executed on cream wove paper and not laid down. The work is hinged to mat at top corners. There are scattered small pin-head sized dots (probably foxing) at extreme right edge and a few small dots of possible loss in brown figure in lower right quadrant.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Dufy's racing scenes are among his most sophisticated works and Le Champ de courses à Ascot is a brilliant example of his ability to capture both the excitement of the race and the elegance of its onlookers. Dufy frequented the most fashionable race-courses of his day in France and England, employing the unique combination of movement, color and light for his artistic pursuits. The✱ artist attended these events with leading creators of fashion such as Paul Poiret and Bianchini, who prodded the artist to study the fashionable ladies and gentlemen who attended the races. Friends who accompanied Dufy on his expeditions to the track recalled that at this time he became more and more interested in the colors of the horses and the jockeys, their movement, and in the animation of the spectators.

The colorful dress, shaded stadiums, and broad expanses of lawn at the racecourses of Europe provided Dufy with ample opportunities to develop his color theory. As Dora Perez-Tibi has explained, "These race-course scenes - whether in France, at Deauville, Longchamp or Chantilly or, in England, at Epsom, Ascot or Goodwood - allowed Dufy to put his couleur-lumière theory into practice. When the light ran parallel to the earth he observed that it struck the vertically represented object from one side only, while the other side remained in shadow. He decided to convey light by means of color; the absence of color characterizes the unlit area... For Dufy, the balance of the composition comes from the distribution of all points of light in the centre of each element of the painting. It was here that he found the secret of his composition" (Dora Perez-Tibi, Dufy, New York, 1989, pp. 158-162).