Renoir is known as the only painter among the 19th century Impressionists who focused on expressing the human figure. He left behind many portraits, especially those depicting the grace of women's curves and the lively expressions of children, which still speak softly to our eyes today. The artist's overflowing love seems to be conveyed through his soft touch... I would be happy if I could introduce you to Renoir a little bit here.

Renoir, the history of the painter

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born in 1841 into a family of tailors in Limoges, France, famous for its Limoges ware. When he was three years old, his family moved to Paris and settled in the city center near the Louvre Museum. There is an anecdote that Renoir was invited by the composer Charles Gounod to join the chorus of the Opéra Garnier because of his beautiful voice when he was young. He received an offer to hire him as an apprentice at his workshop, and decided to become a painter. During his five years of training, Renoir gradually developed his talent, and it is said that from around that time it was his habit to visit the Louvre. Mechanization progressed with the Industrial Revolution, and Renoir used his painting experience to aim to become a painter. In 1860, he was recognized as an imitator and studied and copied court paintings by Rubens, Boucher, and Fragonard at the Louvre Museum.

In 1861, he entered the atelier of Charles Gleyre, the most popular artist at the time, and the following year, in 1862, he entered the École des Beaux-Arts (National School of Fine Arts). In Gleyle's studio, he met Monet, Sisley, and Bazille, who would later become representatives of Impressionism.


Sitting in front of the canvas is Manet, the father of Impressionism. Behind him, the young man wearing a hat and staring intently at Manet's painting is Renoir. The person to his right is the writer Zola. The person next to her looking towards me is Monet. And the tall man standing next to him, showing his profile, is Basil.

Renoir submitted his work to the Salon de Paris in 1864, winning it for the first time. It has been pointed out that his works from this period were influenced by various painters such as Ingres, Rubens, and Delacroix.

In 1873, a group of painters later known as the Impressionists formed the Anonymous Society of Artists, Painters, Sculptors, Printmakers, and Others, and Renoir also joined. The group's first exhibition was held in Paris in 1874 at photographer Nadar's studio on Boulevard Capucines. This was later called the ``First Impressionist Exhibition,'' and Renoir exhibited seven works, including ``Box Seat.''

At the Second Impressionist Exhibition in 1876, he exhibited 15 works, including Swing and Nude in the Sun. The latter is known today as Renoir's masterpiece, but at the time it was severely criticized. At the Third Impressionist Exhibition in 1877, he exhibited 22 works, including his masterpiece Moulin de la Galette, which he had completed the previous year.

《Swing》

《Moulin de la Galette》

In 1878, he resumed exhibiting at the Salon de Paris, and the following year, Madame Charpentier and the Children received rave reviews. In 1881, he completed his masterpiece, Luncheon for Boaters. The woman depicted on the far left of this work, wearing a hat and holding a dog, is Aline Charigot, who later became Madame Renoir, and often appears as a model in her works such as Country Dance.

《Lunch for boaters》

《Charpentier husband and children》

《Girls near the piano》

Little by little, Renoir's Impressionist paintings spread, and there are still many works from this time that feature women as themes, especially those with attractive feminine curves. In 1892, he was commissioned by the government to paint ``Girls at the Piano'' for the collection of the Luxembourg Museum in Paris.It was Renoir's first work to be purchased by the French government, and he was recognized as a master of Impressionism. will be built.

Renoir House Museum Maison Renoir

One of the ``Anemones'' he painted in his later years.

In his later years, Renoir suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, and upon the recommendation of his doctor and an introduction from a friend of his, his family moved to the warm climate of Cagnes-sur-Mer, near Nice in southern France. In 1907 he purchased the land on Colette Hill, which he had painted many times, and built his own house in the olive grove. Although Renoir was forced to live in a wheelchair, he continued to paint his works energetically until the end, despite the pain. It is said that he was still painting anemones on the day he died in 1919. His last words were, ``With this picture, I feel like I'm starting to understand something.''


Cagnes-sur-Mer, Renoir House Museum

The mansion in Cagnes-sur-Mer is now open to the public as a museum, and it is now a place where you can get a glimpse of what kind of house Renoir lived in in his later years.

Descendants of Renoir

The second son, Jean, often appeared as a model in Renoir's paintings, and later became known as Jean Renoir (1894–1979), one of France's leading film directors. Jean's works, such as ``The Great Illusion'' (1937), ``The Rules of the Game'' (1939), and ``French Cancan'' (1954), have received high acclaim and are supported by a deep perspective on human diversity. It had a great influence on later film directors such as Nouvelle Vague standard-bearer François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. ``Picnic'' has been highly acclaimed as a film overflowing with beauty that surpasses Impressionist paintings, as if the painterly world of his father Auguste has been revealed.

Tokyo, Shibuya Bunkamura The Museum < Renoir + Renoir Exhibition

Painter Auguste Renoir and director Jean Renoir. The ``Renoir + Renoir'' exhibition, which alternately introduced the works of the two masters and explored the charm of painting and video, created a great response in Paris and Tokyo Bunkamura. In addition, the father-son drama depicting Renoir in his later years and Jean before he became a director in the recent film ``Renoir: Nude in the Sun'' was written by Renoir's great-grandson, Jacques Renoir, who is also an active photographer. It is based on a biographical novel. In this way, Renoir's artistic talent was passed down through three generations.