Pierre-Auguste Renoir and the Birth of Impressionism

grace.kean270
May 24
11 min read

“For me a picture has to be something pleasant, delightful and pretty- yes, pretty. There are enough unpleasant things in this world without us producing even more.”

- Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Introduction

Pierre-auguste Renoir was one of the most influential and best artists in both 19th century France and the impressionist movement. Working alongside artists such as Monet and Pissarro. His most famous piece is often considered to be Dance at Bougival (1883) which currently resides at the museum of fine arts in Boston and gets visited by millions around the world each year.

Early life

Renoir was born to Leonard Renoir and his wife Marguerite on the 25th of February 1841, as the sixth of seven children. His father, a tailor, was by no means a rich man, causing the family to move to Paris in 1844 to look for better prospects. Renoir showed great artistic talent from a young age, leading him to become an apprentice as a porcelain painter at the age of 13 (1854). During his lunch breaks, instead of having lunch, he would often go to the louvre to paint antique sculptures. Unfortunately, due to the industrial revolution and the invention of the printing press he, and many other porcelain painters, became redundant after only 4 years of work. He then turned to painting ladies’ fans and church banners. By the time he was 21, he had earnt enough money to study art academically.

Ecole de Beaux-Arts

The school of fine arts in Paris was the most popular art school in the country, seeing the likes of Seurat, Moreau and Degas. In the April of 1862, Renoir enrolled at the Ecole de Beaux-Arts, he was a very confident and enthusiastic student, performing each task to the best of his ability. Renoir showed a love for strong, glowing colours, these, however, were not particularly popular at the college leading him to clash with his teacher Charles Gleyre. Years later Renoir commented “I had really done my utmost to paint the model. Gleyre looked at my picture and said, with an icy expression on his face: ‘You obviously paint for your own enjoyment, don't you?’ - ‘But of course,’ I replied, ‘You can be sure that I wouldn’t do it if I didn't enjoy painting.’ I'm not sure if he understood me correctly.” Renoir quickly befriended another student who was even less inclined to bow to teachers, Claude Monet. The pair also befriended Alfred Sisley and Frederic Bazille, and the quartet were inseparable.

The Salon

The salon, or ‘the official exhibition of art’, was a meeting place for artists, critiques and academics alike to display and discuss art. It began in 1667 as an extremely prestigious meeting place for only academics and very successful artists sponsored by the French government, but over time and due to the French revolution, it lost its prestige and started opening its doors to all artists. Despite its loss of prestige, it was still considered monumental to have your art displayed there.

Esmeralda Dancing with a Goat

‘Esmeralda dancing with a goat’ was Renoirs first submitted painting to the salon, in 1864, and got accepted almost immediately. The picture drew its theme from the hunchback of Notre-dame. Unfortunately, not much is known of this painting as Renoir quickly destroyed it after the exhibition, though it is assumed to follow the ‘darkness’ that was considered suitable for galleries at the time. This ‘darkness’ was achieved by using an admixture of asphalt (Asphalt was popular due to its rich, transparent pigment properties). Not long after the painting was displayed, Renoir was advised by a fellow painter he looked up to, Diaz, not to use asphalt (for reasons unknown but artists largely stopped using it due to its poor resistance to weathering) and not long later the painting was gone.

Lise

Lise 1867 was Renoirs’ first ‘masterpiece’, which was exhibited at the Salon the following spring. This piece depicts his young girlfriend in full-length and life-sized. “The whole thing is so natural and has been observed so accurately that it will seem wrong because we are used to imagining nature in terms of conventional colours” wrote W. Burger-Thore. Renoir continued to use Lise as a model for other paintings such as Odalisque.

A Couple

Lise featured again alongside Renoirs’ friend Sisley in ‘A Couple’ (1868), this piece is only half the size of Lise. The woman is clearly supposed to be the main focus of this piece, the bright colours she adorns and her gaze, prove this. Renoir used well-balanced line and colour showing he paid a lot of attention to the laws of compositions, however the interplay between light and reflected colour is weak, and the figures do not merge with their natural environment.

The Birth of Impressionism

“One morning one of us had run out of black and that was the birth of impressionism.”

- Pierre-August Renoir

Impressionism is characterised by visible brush strokes, open composition, and an emphasising depiction of light. Artists would often choose one spot at one point in the day and try to paint it exactly, like how a picture captures one moment of one place, except the colours and light is accentuated.

The Pictures of Grenouillere.

The Pictures of Grenouillere is a series of six paintings, three by Monet and three by Renoir. These paintings lack all composition in the conventional sense of the world, which brought about many discussions at the cafe Guerbois (a gathering place for artist to discuss their work), “the impression of nature” being the most popular phrase used to describe the paintings. However, the impressionist movement wasn’t named until 5 years later.

The Impressionists’ Exhibition

“The critics are eating us alive” ~ Camille Pissaro in a letter to Bouruet Aubertot 1874.

Entry to this exhibition cost a modest 1 franc (approximately 15 pence) and featured around 175 works from roughly 30 different artists. Unlike the salon, the works were considered equal instead of in competition to each other, and all works were on sale, if not already bought. There was only 4,000 total visitors to the exhibition Despite the positive attention they got at the cafe Guerbois, the impressionist exhibit was severely and sarcastically criticized for the ‘dull lifelessness of the drawings, the shoddiness of the painting and the lack of attention to detail’, Many visitors left either laughing at the artists or visibly angry at the art.

Later Exhibitions

In April of 1876, the impressionists gave their second exhibition at the Durand-Ruel's gallery in the Rue Le Peletier. Renoir showcased 15 pictures, six of which were purchased by Victor Choquet, (an admirer of Renoir’s work). This exhibition was also heavily criticized, Albert Wollf, an influential art critic, wrote in the newspaper: “Five or six madmen... blinded by their own ambition, have gathered together in that place to exhibit their works.” Although unlike their first exhibition there were also positive comments made, Edmond Duranty, a realist writer, publish a brochure called the new painting in which he defended the artists and their movement.

The artists had their third exhibit in the April of 1877; they yet again rented a few rooms in the Rue Le Peletier, this exhibit was painted mostly by Renoir and Georges Charpentier. Once more, the exhibit was relentlessly ridiculed by critiques in the papers, and so nobody bought anything. This exhibit, however, was defended in a small magazine called Impressionnisme, journal d’art written by Renoirs’ new friend Georges Rivere.

Madame Charpentier and Her Children

Renoir finally achieved a much-deserved public breakthrough in 1878 with his painting Madam Charpentier and Her Children. Charpentier gave him an opportunity to exhibit pastel drawing in an exhibit of his own, and he managed to find several other patrons, most notably diplomat Paul Berard.

Pulling away

Renoir did not participate in the impressionist’s exhibitions in 1879, 1880 or 1881, and he had started to pull away from his old friends due to political differences. He detested the ‘anarchism’ of some painters, nor did he share Pissarro's socialist ideas, and Degas’ attitude of aggressive contempt towards the public made him very uncomfortable.

The group of independent realist and impressionist artists

However, Renoir did partake in the seventh impressionist exhibition in the Aprill of 1882. Twenty-five of his paintings were shown off including ‘The Luncheon of the Boating Party.’ Due to his continuing reservations around ‘independent artists’, he insisted for his paintings to be marked as ‘submitted by his agent’ (to avoid having his name grouped with theirs).

Renoirs’ masterpieces

“Nowadays people want to explain everything. But if one could explain a picture, it would no longer be a work of art.”

Pierre-August Renoir

Renoirs’ paintings were made to show the beauty and liveliness of ‘unspoilt people’, choosing to observe real life instead of poses, unlike other artists. Renoir would abandon balance and symmetry in order to preserve a natural and lifelike impact. Renoir would often painted close friends, he most frequently drew Monet and his wife Camille.

Feminine charm

Renoir showed an explicit talent for expressing ‘feminine charm’, he knew how to express ‘the whole range of that enticing attractiveness which could emanate from a woman’ in order to convey a feeling of deep joy. Granted Renoir never painted sad, angry, ugly, old, profound or problematic characters. But an artist that is able to capture a smile of blissful joy and an easy-going enjoyment of life, is very rare indeed. Even the men he painted had a certain ‘femininity’ about them.

Portraits

Renoir always painted the characters in his portraits in such a way that was both natural and characteristic. He continually tried to paint impressions that were true to life. Unfortunately, portraits were not popular at the time, the ‘best’ art was considered to be religious or mythological, and on the rare occasion that people did want portraiture they want to be portrayed as ‘picturesque’.

Landscapes

Renoir thoroughly enjoyed painting what considered to be ‘the beauty of a middle-class life in the big city of Paris’ many of his landscapes include people going about their everyday lives. Renoir would deliberately avoid anything ‘out of the ordinary’ in his art.

The other landscapes Renoir loved painting was the countryside, he would paint groups of people, experiencing and enjoying their everyday lives in the fresh air. Renoir would break all academic rules of painting, choosing to emphasise everything that he deemed cheerful and innocent instead of fussing about composition and arrangement.

The theatre

Another good example of Renoirs art on ‘everyday life’ are his paintings of the circus and theatre. He would paint performers on occasion, but his true interest lay with the observers. The Theatre Box, showcases this perfectly, portraying a couple waiting for the beginning of a show. The man, Renoirs’ brother, sits in the background with the majority of his face covered by opera glasses, while the lady, a local model, is being shown off at the front, with soft, tranquil features and a striped dress.

Le Moulin de la Galette

Le Moulin de la Galette is the most significant piece completed during this period of Renoir’s life. It has even been referred to as ‘the most beautiful picture of the 19th century’. This artwork features many people going about their daily lives, dancing, cuddling, chatting and enjoying food can all be seen in this one street view alone, really highlighting Renoir’s ability to make the ordinary extraordinary.

The ‘Dry Period’

“Around the year 1883 I had exhausted impressionism and finally came to the conclusion that I could neither paint nor draw. In short impressionism had led to a dead end... in the end I saw that it was too complicated”

- Pierre-Auguste Renoir

During a trip to Italy in 1881, Renoir became deeply impressed with the works of Rapheal, Renoir wrote “They are full of knowledge and wisdom. Unlike myself, he never tried to achieve the impossible. But they are wonderful. I prefer Ingres’ oil paintings. The frescos, on the other hand, are magnificent in their greatness and simplicity.”

This is all well and good until you realise that Ingres is considered the epitome of Neo-Classicism, the art style that bitterly opposes any expression of personal temperament, realism and colourful styles, which is everything Renoirs art previously stood for.

Renoir still saw himself as a searcher and was not content with himself, the impressionism style and the view that went with it started to seem inadequate to him. He began to work more carefully; his colours became cooler and his figures more precise. The “Dry period” of Renoirs' life is considered to be between 1884-1887, most critiques assumed he had gone astray. Irish contemporary, George Moore wrote that ‘within a matter of two years Renoir had completely destroyed his own charmingly delightful art, after he had spent 20 years building it up.’

The End of Impressionism

Everybody including Renoir himself considered his break with impressionism a crisis, his crisis did not affect only him but also Monet, Pissarro and Degas leading to a complete collapse of this group of impressionists. Impressionism began to gradually die out drifting further and further from society.

A Turning Point

The ‘dry period’ of Renoirs life was a turning point for his art. With the exception of a few family portraits, he practically ceased to paint scenes from everyday life in Paris, there was still the odd painting, but it was a rare occurrence. In years following, Renoir displayed his new style together with a modern artists’ group called Les Vingt in Brussels.

New Style

Renoirs transition between styles was slow but, shows up quite clearly in three upright paintings he completed in 1883. These paintings include couples waltzing. In two of the paintings, the man was fellow painter Paul Lhote, in a straw hat and without a shirt collar, dancing rather crudely with the young Aline Charigot, Renoirs future wife; painted in a colour dress with a wide smile. The third painting was of painter Eugene-Pierre Lestringuez dancing with young model Suzanne Valadon at a function organized by the city of Paris.

In Sickness and in Health

The last three decades of Renoirs' life were on the one hand, full of the quiet triumph of his art finally being recognised and becoming a financial success. While on the other hand, he was overrun with serious illnesses he fought very hard against.

At the end of the 1880’s, he worked several times alongside Cezanne, and then with Berthe Morisot, two gifted impressionist artists. And in 1890, he finally achieved public recognition when Durand-Ruel exhibited 110 of Renoirs artworks at a special exhibit, and the French government bought a picture for the Musee du Luxembourg.

Renoir had his first severe attack of rheumatoid arthritis in 1898, which forced him to spend the winter months in Provence and seek medical help in the summer. His health continued to deteriorate in later years, and in 1902, his left eye started to weaken and he contracted bronchitis. Despite his illness, he continued to paint and in 1910, during a brief period when his health improved, Renoir visited Munich, where he painted portraits and enjoyed the paintings at the Pinakothek museum. Unfortunately, his improved health was short lived and upon his return from Munich both of his legs became paralysed, and he became confined to a wheelchair, he would have a paintbrush tied with string to his crippled hand so he could continue to paint.

In 1992, Renoir had another bad attack leaving his arms paralysed, causing him a deep depression due to being unable to paint, he was however granted short-term reprieve after being operated on by a Viennese doctor. For the last few years of his life, Renoir would insist on being carried out to his easel every morning to continue with his work.

Rest After a Bath

Renoir completed one of his final pieces, ‘Rest After a Bath’, while in great pain. Despite his immobility, the painting is still a masterpiece, depicting two women resting on foliage, while another group of women bathe in a pond in the background.

Until Death do us Part

Renoir fell ill with pneumonia in November of 1919 and passed away in Cagnes, France on the 3rd of December. He was buried in Essoyes 3 days later, next to his wife Aline.

As you can see, Renoirs impact on art was astounding, not only on the artists around him like Monet or Pissaro, but also on the next generation of artists who took over. And while the impressionist movement died off, it's still incredible to study, and the art produced is still fascinating and masterful to observe.