Ch 4 Raoul Dufy's Regatta vs. Samuel Fosso's The Chief He Who Sold Africa to the Colonists

Raoul Dufy’s Regatta is a very vibrant and color painting of what
looks to be boat races. Dufy was a French painter whose paintings of
open-air recreational events, such as boat races, horse races,
concerts, and parades, stunned art admirers’ and critics alike. This
piece is best known for its colorful representation of the boat race
along the French Riviera. Dufy painted this masterpiece when he stayed
at a famous resort on the Isle of Wight. At this time, he witnessed
many small yachts gearing up for the race. This spectacle inspired
Dufy to use his brilliant brushstrokes and create the masterpiece.
Raoul Dufy painted the randomly organized yachts, possibly fluttering
in the light breeze, in a bold blue backdrop, capturing the energy and
the 'Romanticism' of the sea environment. For his use of colors here,
Dufy is referred as the 'Painter of Light,' as his skies and seas are
bluer than normal. This colorful painting depicts Dufy's pursuit of
joy, enthusiasm, and emotional rendition without making a social
statement. This masterpiece truly portrays the artist's love for
depicting everyday scenes as still life.
Samuel Fosso’s The Chief He Who Sold Africa to the Colonists is a self
portrait of the artist sitting in a chair surrounded by a plethora of
patterns. The use of bright colors and patterns makes this painting
practically jump off the page. The use of different patterned squares
in the background reveal some of the various African settings that one
would come into contact with when living there. Fosso is wearing
leopard patterned cloth, futuristic glasses, and lots of jewelry. He
also has a purse and is holding a flower. He dressed as a ridiculous
parody of a traditional African ruler and is clearly mocking the Chief
who sold Africa to the colonists. This painting exhibits the visual
delight and spatial ambiguity that patterns can produce.
Some similarities between the paintings are the use of many objects,
many bright and vibrant colors, and the use of either texture or
patterns used to give the paintings to life. In both paintings the
artists create a visual texture, even though not all visual texture
may be seen as a pattern.