Au Bord de la Seine

This wonderful energetic work by Jean Dufy shows people going about their day on the right bank of Paris. On the other side of the Seine, in the background, the Palais Bourbon, the home of the National assembly, is glimpsed. In the centre on the right hand side the pillars of the Pont Alexandre III are seen. However, it is not the view of Paris that is the focus but the activity of ordinary Parisians. On the lower right hand side, Parisians air their newest toilettes whilst in the centre workers go about their day repairing or sweeping the quay. Au Bord de la Seine provides a snapshot into the daily working life of ordinary Parisians.

Dufy often depicted people enjoying themselves in a bright colourful manner and he became best-known for his panoramic views of modern Paris, capturing the architecture, activities and electricity of the city. The Place de la Concorde was one of the artist’s favourite subjects, appearing in dozens of canvases he created from the 1930s through the 1950s. Here, Dufy has depicted the quay running right by the square using his signature stylized figures capturing its energy while focusing on such national symbols as the Palais Bourbon and the Pont Alexandre III.