Cloth has selected 6 textile designs from the archive of the renowned French artist Raoul Dufy who was active from 1905 until his death in 1953. A range of designs of big, bold floral to small geometric patterns in bright, fresh colours.
Known for his oil and watercolours, as well as decorated ceramics, illustrated books, and a huge painted mural of 'Electricity' for the 1937 Paris International Exhibition.
Born at Le Havre in Normandy, awarded a scholarship in 1900 and went to Paris where he studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Influenced by the impressionist movement and fauve style of Matisse and began to work in richer vivacious colours. A contemporary of Picasso & Braque's, Raoul Dufy set up in 1911 a small factory to design and print fabrics for the couturier Poiret and the textile company Bianchini-Férier in Lyon.