"France has lived a long time - eight or nine centuries - and yet art in France, too, was derivative up until the 19th Century"

In this quote, Raoul Dufy is reviewing the history of France and its relationship with art. He acknowledges that France has an abundant and lengthy history, covering eight or nine centuries. However, he likewise mentions that for a very long time, the art produced in France was not initial or unique. It was heavily affected by other cultures and designs, rather than being genuinely innovative. Dufy recommends that it was not up until the 19th century that French art began to break away from this derivative nature and really come into its own. This quote highlights the development of French art and the impact of outside impacts on its development.