Dufy, Raoul, 1877-1953, French painter, illustrator, and decorator, studied at the École des Beaux-Arts. After meeting Matisse he abandoned his early impressionist style and turned c.1905 to the more spontaneous expression of fauvism. For a time he designed fabrics for the dressmaker Paul Poiret and illustrated books, including the writings of Apollinaire, Mallarmé, and Gide. Using swift, stenographic brushstrokes, he developed a remarkable linear virtuosity and brilliant color. Typical is his watercolor The Palm (Mus. of Modern Art, New York City).