Priya Kapoor
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a prolific French artist and a leading painter in the development of Impressionism. He created several thousand artworks in his lifetime, including some of the most well-known paintings in the art world. Renoir's paintings have sold at auction for as much as $78.1 million. The largest collection of his work is at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Pierre-Auguste Renoir |
| Birth Year | 1841 |
| Birthplace | Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France |
| Father's Name | Léonard Renoir |
| Father's Occupation | Tailor |
| Mother's Occupation | Dressmaker |
| Total Paintings | Approximately 4000 |
| First Success | Lise with a Parasol (1867) |
| First Impressionist Exhibition | April 1874 |
| Number of Paintings at First Impressionist Exhibition | 6 or 7 |
| Number of Paintings at Second Impressionist Exhibition | 17 (18 paintings including pastel) |
| Number of Paintings at Third Impressionist Exhibition | 21 |
| Most Expensive Painting Sold at Auction | $78.1 million (in 1990) |
| Largest Collection | Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US |
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What You'll Learn
Renoir's early life and apprenticeship
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born in 1841 in Limoges, France. His father, Léonard Renoir, was a tailor, and his mother was a seamstress/dressmaker. In 1844 or 1845, the Renoir family moved to Paris in search of better prospects and a better life. Young Renoir was appreciated more for his singing than his drawing. He took music lessons until his family's financial difficulties forced him to leave school at the age of 13 and take up work.
Renoir started working as an apprentice at a porcelain factory shop, Lévy Frères, in 1854 or 1856. He painted floral motifs on porcelain cups and vases. Renoir's natural artistic talents were recognised by his co-workers, who referred to him as "Monsieur Rubens". The owner of the factory also recognised his apprentice's talent and communicated this to Renoir's family. However, when the porcelain factory adopted mechanical reproduction processes in 1858, Renoir was forced to find other means to support his learning. Before he enrolled in art school, he painted hangings for overseas missionaries and decorations on fans and banners to earn a living.
Renoir then took lessons to prepare for entry into the prestigious art school Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris. He studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts with fellow students Monet, Sisley and Bazille, and went on summer painting trips with them to Chailly and Fountainbleau. He also studied the 18th-century paintings in the nearby Louvre and met Corot, Millet and Diaz. In 1861, he entered the studio of Swiss artist Charles Gleyre, who prepared students for entrance to the École des Beaux-Arts. In 1862, he began studying art under Gleyre in Paris, where he met Alfred Sisley, Frédéric Bazille, and Claude Monet. In 1864, his work was first accepted at the Salon.
In 1874, Renoir exhibited seven paintings at the First Impressionist Exhibition, including The Loge. In 1876, he exhibited seventeen paintings and one pastel at the Second Impressionist Exhibition, including Study. Torso of a Woman in the Sunlight. In 1877, he exhibited twenty-one paintings at the Third Impressionist Exhibition, including Dance at Moulin de la Galette.
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The Salon and other exhibitions
Pierre-Auguste Renoir first found success at the Salon of 1868 with his painting "Lise with a Parasol" (1867), which depicted his lover at the time, Lise Tréhot. In 1870, at the annual Salon, Renoir exhibited "Bather with a Griffon" and "Algerian Woman (Odalisque)". He also completed "A Nymph by a Stream", which formed a pendant with "Algerian Woman (Odalisque)". Tréhot modelled for all three works.
However, in 1874, after a series of rejections by the Salon juries, Renoir joined forces with Monet, Sisley, Pissarro, and several other artists to mount the First Impressionist Exhibition, in which he displayed six paintings. At the Second Impressionist Exhibition in 1876, Renoir exhibited seventeen paintings and one pastel. The selection included "Study" and "Torso of a Woman in the Sunlight". The following year, Renoir exhibited twenty-one paintings at the Third Impressionist Exhibition, including "Dance at Moulin de la Galette".
Renoir did not exhibit in the fourth or fifth Impressionist exhibitions, and instead resumed submitting his works to the Salon. By the end of the 1870s, particularly after the success of his painting "Mme Charpentier and her Children" (1878) at the Salon of 1879, Renoir was a successful and fashionable painter.
In 1887, Renoir presented five paintings at the Sixth Exposition Internationale at Galerie Georges Petit, publicly unveiling "The Great Bathers" for the first time.
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Renoir's travels and their influence
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born in Limoges, France, in 1841. As a child, he demonstrated a talent for the decorative arts, which led to him being apprenticed to a porcelain factory at the age of 13. He soon began painting fans and cloth panels for missionaries. Recognising his talent, Renoir's parents encouraged him to pursue his passion for art. In 1860, he began making frequent trips to Paris to study the work of French masters at the Louvre. In 1862, he moved to Paris and took evening classes at the École des Beaux-Arts, where he met fellow students Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille. The four young artists shared a desire to break free from traditional artistic conventions and dreamed of creating art that was more true to life.
In the late 1860s, Renoir and Monet discovered the concept of diffuse reflection while painting outdoors. This technique, also known as en plein air, involves capturing the colours of shadows rather than portraying them as black or brown. During this period, Renoir also travelled to Italy, where he studied the works of Renaissance masters such as Titian and Raphael. These influences inspired Renoir to incorporate classical elements into his compositions, but with a more relaxed and spontaneous approach that set him apart from the strict formality of traditional academic painting.
In 1876, Renoir exhibited mostly portraits at the second Impressionist exhibition. By the end of the decade, he had become a successful and fashionable painter, with regular portrait commissions from the Parisian elite. In 1881, he travelled to Algeria, a country he associated with Eugène Delacroix, whose work had influenced his early paintings. He then spent the autumn and winter in Italy, where he painted "Blonde Bather". In 1882, Renoir convalesced in Algeria after contracting pneumonia, which permanently damaged his respiratory system.
In 1883, Renoir spent the summer in Guernsey, creating fifteen paintings in just over a month, most of which feature Moulin Huet, a bay in Saint Martin's. Later in his career, Renoir travelled to the south of France in 1898 to seek relief from rheumatism. He visited Cagnes-sur-Mer and eventually bought a seven-acre farm there, known as Les Collettes, in 1907. Throughout his travels, Renoir continued to paint and draw inspiration from his surroundings, incorporating new techniques and influences into his distinctive Impressionist style.
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His health issues and how they affected his work
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was one of the most influential painters in art history, but he suffered from several health issues throughout his life, including rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism, and a stroke. Despite these ailments, Renoir maintained a positive attitude and a passion for painting, creating several thousand paintings during his career.
Renoir's health issues began around 1892 when he developed rheumatoid arthritis. This condition caused swelling in the joints of his fingers and hands, and later led to progressive deformities in his hands and ankylosis of his right shoulder. Despite the pain and limited mobility, Renoir continued to paint and adapted his technique to accommodate his physical limitations. He moved to the warmer climate of "Les Collettes", a farm in the village of Cagnes-sur-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, close to the Mediterranean coast. He also employed adaptive coping strategies and used his ingenuity to find new ways to hold his paintbrushes and continue creating art.
In 1897, Renoir suffered another setback when he fell off his bike and broke his arm. This injury further exacerbated his arthritis and caused him to experience paralysis from time to time. Despite this, he continued to paint and even created sculptures with the help of others for the hands-on work. By 1910, Renoir was using a wheelchair, and his paint palettes were attached to his wheelchair so he could easily access the desired hues.
In 1912, Renoir had a stroke that left him bound to a wheelchair. His left arm became permanently paralyzed, and he had to be carried to his easel when he painted. Despite these challenges, Renoir persevered and continued to create art. He is known for saying, "The pain passes, but the beauty remains," reflecting his unwavering dedication to his craft.
Renoir's health issues not only impacted the physical act of painting but also influenced the style and subject matter of his work. As his arthritis progressed, his palette became "more austere," but his paintings remained soft yet energetic, always designed to elicit a positive emotional response from the viewer. Renoir's work during this period demonstrates his mastery of his craft, as he continued to create beautiful and impactful art despite his physical limitations.
Overall, Renoir's health issues presented significant challenges, but they did not deter him from his passion for painting. He adapted his techniques, sought warmer climates, and employed various coping strategies to manage his pain and continue his artistic career. His perseverance and dedication to his craft are a testament to his love for art, and his work continues to inspire and bring beauty to the world.
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Renoir's legacy and notable collections
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a leading painter in the development of Impressionism. He was known for his celebration of beauty and feminine sensuality, and his work is often characterised by a focus on the artist's fleeting sensations before nature, using loose brushstrokes to capture the effects of light and movement.
Renoir's legacy is that of a pioneer who helped to develop several Impressionist theories, techniques, and practices. His work inspired future artists, including Picasso, who, upon returning from Italy in 1917, attempted to meet Renoir, purchase his work, and copy his paintings. Leo Stein, a renowned collector, also understood Renoir's practice to be groundbreaking. In a letter to Albert C. Barnes, who owned the largest collection of Renoir's works in the US, Stein wrote:
> "Histories of classic painting in the future will bear the title of Histories of Painting from the Beginning to Renoir, or perhaps Matisse."
Renoir's work was well-received during his lifetime, and by the end of the 1870s, he was a successful and fashionable painter. He had several notable patrons, including Eugène Murer, a patissier, restaurateur, and collector, and Madame Georges Charpentier, whose salons were attended by the likes of Flaubert, Zola, and Manet. In 1879, Renoir met banker Paul Bérard, who invited him to his country house in Wargemont and became his main patron.
Some of Renoir's most notable collections include:
- The First Impressionist Exhibition in 1874, in which Renoir displayed six paintings, including 'The Loge'.
- The Second Impressionist Exhibition in 1876, where he exhibited seventeen paintings and one pastel.
- The Third Impressionist Exhibition in 1877, where he exhibited twenty-one paintings, including 'Dance at Moulin de la Galette' and 'The Swing'.
- The Sixth Exposition Internationale at Galerie Georges Petit in 1887, where he presented five paintings, including 'The Great Bathers'.
- A collection of commemorative postage stamps issued by the Bailiwick of Guernsey in 1983, featuring paintings Renoir created during his time in Guernsey in 1883.
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Frequently asked questions
Renoir was a prolific artist, creating several thousand artworks in his lifetime. One source estimates that he painted about 4000 paintings.
The largest collection of Renoir paintings is at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Some of Renoir's most famous paintings include "Lise with a Parasol" (1867), "Luncheon of the Boating Party" (1880-1881), "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette" (1876), and "The Swing" (1877).
Renoir started painting at the age of 13 when he began an apprenticeship at a porcelain factory. He later studied art under Charles Gleyre in Paris and exhibited his first painting, "Lise with a Parasol", in 1867.
