Raoul Dufy Designs

Raoul Dufy Textiles

Raoul Dufy was not only a painter but also an accomplished woodcut designer. In 1910, encouraged by the fashion designer Paul Poiret, he began using his woodcuts to create fabric designs.His reputation grew rapidly, and in 1912 he entered into an agreement with the Lyon-based silk weaving company Bianchini Férier to create printing plates for both furnishing and dress fabrics.

The Hunter, depicting a huntsman set against a striking foliate backdrop alongside a hunting dog and a faintly visible spotted deer, was one of a series of bold block-printed patterns known as Les Toiles de Tournon. The design proved immensely popular, remaining in production from 1913 until at least 1955, and appeared in advertisements for the Tournon collection from 1925 onwards. As one of more than four hundred textile designs created by Raoul Dufy during his career, The Hunter represents one of the earliest 20th-century collaborations between a modern artist and a textile manufacturer.