Raymond Dufrêne (1887–1973) Font De Gaume In Les Eyzies, Périgord, Dordogne

Raymond DUFRÊNE
(Périgueux 1887 – Domme 1973)
Font de Gaume in Les Eyzies
Oil on panel
H. 38 cm; W. 46 cm
Signed lower right

Provenance: Private collection in Avignon

A painter who kept a low profile in art history, Raymond Dufrêne was born in Périgueux in 1887, before his family moved to Paris. There, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, where he met his wife, also an artist, who came from a family of sculptors, the Carillons. Dufrêne later became the artistic director of the famous Galerie Marcel Bernheim in Paris, which at the time showcased contemporary figurative painters. He naturally formed close ties with all the artists whose works he exhibited. One of his sons, François Dufrêne (1930–1982), was also a painter and was among the founders of the Nouveaux Réalistes group alongside Yves Klein, Tinguely, Arman, Restany, and others.

Dufrêne exhibited at the Société des Beaux-Arts in Paris but sold his paintings solely through word of mouth. His descendants mention prices around 3,500 francs in 1965. He is particularly renowned for his still lifes, many of which he sold in Japan, where he was nicknamed the painter of flowers. Japanese museums hold works by the artist, as does the museum in Brantôme.

Raymond Dufrêne settled in the Dordogne around 1955, very close to the Combarelles Cave in Les Eyzies. He painted the region daily, focusing mainly on the effects of light on the limestone cliffs. A true lover of the Dordogne, he got around on a small three-wheeled moped, which allowed him to bring his family along to the locations where he created his works during school vacations. He also painted in a studio set up in this house. Dufrêne is therefore no stranger to collectors in the region, as works by our tèrra can be found in many homes throughout the Périgord and are still waiting to be discovered.

Painted just a stone’s throw from his home, this panel depicts the Font de Gaume cliff located on the road to Sarlat as you leave Les Eyzies. The house with its shimmering colors is none other than the current visitor center for the eponymous cave, managed by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux.