Nachum Goldman, Jerusalem (and sold by the estate: Sotheby's, New York, November 17, 1983, lot 178)
Sale: Christie's, New York, May 9, 2000, lot 239
Private Collection, Switzerland (acquired at the above sale)

Maurice Laffaille, Raoul Dufy, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, vol. II, Geneva, 1973, no. 648, illustrated p. 197

Canvas has been lined. The colors are fresh and bright. Several scattered fine lines of stable cracking run vertically throughout the composition. as well as some areas of possible pentimenti accounting for some the particularly textured ares on the surface of the canvas. Under UV light a couple spots of inpainting are visible including a 1/4 inch area to right of standing make figure at the left, as well as at the upper right. This work is in good condition.
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.

The zestful atmosphere of regattas and seascapes were among Dufy’s favorite subjects to depict, appearing in his oeuvre as early as 1907. The ever-changing natures of races and seas provided the artist with plentiful opportunities to experiment with movement and color. As Dora Perez-Tibi writes, “Dufy 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” (Dora Perez-Tibi, Dufy, New York, 1989, p. 158).

Les Jetées aux voiliers is emblematic of Dufy’s depictions of the boats at Le Havre and Deauville, a series he focused on from 1925-35. While capturing the joie de vivre of the spontaneous motion of the sea and the controlled movement of the boats through his rapid brushstrokes, Dufy simultaneously experimented with his theory of couleur-lumière. As Dora Perez-Tibi noted: “He had become aware of the need to recreate observed reality in terms of his own ‘reality,’ and now went on to elaborate his theory of ‘couleur-lumière,’ with which he experimented during these two years, and which he would apply to his entire oeuvre: 'I was spontaneously led towards what was to become my real preoccupation. I had discovered a system, whose theory was this: to follow the light of the sun is a waster of time. Light in painting is something completely different: it is a light distributed throughout the composition, a ‘couleur-lumière’” (quoted in ibid., pp. 23-24). The artist further explained: "The color captures the light that forms and animates the group as a whole. Every object or group of objects is placed within its own area of light and shade, receiving its share of reflections and being subjected to the arrangement decided by the artist" (quoted in ibid., p. 150).