Lot 387 D

For this work, Jean Dufy chose a vantage point at the crossroads between Rue Soufflot, Rue de Médicis and Boulevard Saint-Michel. In the foreground, the water basin of the fountain with its small group of figures can be seen. The view continues up the Rue Soufflot with its marquees and the colourful, implied hustle and bustle of passers-by and vehicles to the front of the Panthéon. Originally built as the church of Saint Geneviève between 1764-1790, the building was desecrated shortly after its completion and converted into a national hall of fame. Architecturally, the Panthéon follows the model of the St Peter's Basilica in Rome. With the high dome above a tambour and the antique columned front, it forms a striking focal point in the Parisian cityscape, but is very rarely found in Dufy's numerous Paris views.