Late Renoir

"I will not make a portrait of you, but I will paint a picture with you in it."


Late Renoir at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
June 17 - September 6, 2010


Regarded at the time as the greatest living painter in France, Pierre-Auguste Renoir is celebrated often from his Impressionist work. I knew of his work from visiting the Philadelphia Museum, but I never really appreciated his later works. When I was younger, I thought those who focused on drawing nudes often is art as an excuse to be able to do so. I was exposed to his work in high school history classes and movies that referenced his work, notably Amelie with Luncheon at Boating Party. However, I never looked seriously explored his other work until later. I admired some of his more famous, Impressionist paintings like Bal du moulin de la Galette and Girl with Watering Can.
My father went to the exhibit earlier this summer, and told me that he wasn't very impressed by the overflow of floral, romantic paintings. He knew that I would enjoy it though and recommended me to see it with some friends. With my "Starbucks crew" (Amy, Amber, Christina and I), we walked from the PATCO train station to the museum at around 10 am. There was some confusion while buying tickets, mostly my fault, but we managed to finally receive the tickets to the exhibit. With my audio-headphones on, but not prepared with a notepad I walked through the hall into the Renoir exhibit.
There was a wall of a Renoir's timeline from when he was born on February 1841 to his death on December 1919. I then walked into the gallery where the paintings were hung on bare, white walls. What I love about museums is tuning into other people's conversations and their opinions about each paintings. However, the exhibit was quiet; hardly any art enthusiasts uttered a word. I proceeded with caution.
His late style of work in the last 30 years of his life dubbed him as a semiclassicist: his paintings had softly blended colors and a rosy, romantic palette. Female nudes and members of Renoir's household are often the subjects to his paintings. He preferred observing them doing everyday activities such as bath, play with toys, etc., making it less of an "artificial scene." Residing in Southern France (Cagnes), in a house by the sea, he painted Arcadian landscapes as well as goddesses. He said, "The earth was the paradise of the gods...that is what I want to paint." The New Arcadia turned away from the modern world as his landscapes were inspired by the Mediterranean region.
My favorite paintings of Renoir's late works often consisted of a woman brushing or hair, or had her hair simply down. I don't know if I have a strange fascination with how Renoir paints the women's silky hair cascading down their backs or spilling into their hands, but I was mesmerized. So mesmerized, at the end of the exhibit I had to rush back to one painting that I truly found captivating: Bather sitting on a rock. I loved the use of the background, her rosy cheeks and strawberry-blond hair. That was, undoubtedly, my favorite painting in the museum.
Many paintings inspired by the late works of Renoir were also displayed in the exhibit. Each generation of art transitions to the next, and many considered Renoir a true hero and artist. An example is Picasso's Woman with a white hat. He regretted never meeting Renoir. Also an admirer of Renoir, Pierre Bonnard shared his love for Southern France which was reflected through the color and sensations in his Sunlight landscape painting. A good friend of Renoir, Henri Matisse lived in Nice, France near Renoir, and had painted works inspired by Renoir as well. Renoir, rather haughtily, criticized Matisse's use of black, which Renoir didn't even consider a color, in his paintings. Matisse may have been considered a terrible artist, but Renoir credited his use of using the "color" skillfully in his artworks.
What I found utterly inspiring and admirable about Renoir is his love for painting. Renoir suffered from rheumatoid arthritis towards the end of his life; his fingers bent like claws, eventually forcing the fingertips press against the palm of his hand. Like a musician becoming deaf, it's almost impossible for him to continue painting with ease. He had to choose between walking or painting, but he was undaunted. With a paintbrush in his hand, he forgot about the crippled and painful state he was in. "Pain passes, but beauty remains." Love triumphs, and his love for his work surpassed exceedingly what his arthritis tried to restrict.
The Bathers ended the painting exhibit. It's noted as the culmination of Renoir's career, like Monet's Water Lilies. This painting does capture the essence of his work with the beautiful women nudes, floral background and Van Gogh-esque sky. It brings a happy closure with the exhibit, which then a film of Renoir is shown of him towards the end of his life, laughing as he picks up a paintbrush and paints to his heart's content.