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The childhood beginnigngs

Impressionist period

"Ingresque" period

"Pearly"  period

Impressionist paintings

"Ingresques" paintings

"Pearly" paintings


The "pearly" period

               riticized, badly understood , Renoir goes little by little to come out of the "dry" period . Without coming back to an impressionist brushstroke, he is going to inflect the feature, to abandon the rigor as preserving the shape of his topics.

The woman sleeping (1897) - Collection Oskar Reinhart, Winterthur,            Gentleness, shape, color, light and pleasure are the main words of this "pearly" period.

               rom 1889 Renoir must avoid the cold weather because  rheumatism crises make him suffer a lot and, even though, beauty and the brightness always dominated his œuvre, it' s sick and weakens that he continues his life.

                  ri.gif (1060 octets)n 1890, he marries Aline.

                  ri.gif (1060 octets)n 1892, Paul Durand Ruel organizes a particular exhibition of 110 canvases. It' s a triumph, the recognition full and unanimous of the public and the French state that for the first time buys a canvas of Renoir.

Girls to the piano (1892) - Museum of Orsay, Paris,          "Girls to the piano", destined to the museum of  Luxemburg.

                  ri.gif (1060 octets)n 1894, Gustave Caillebotte, famous painter, the friend of always dies while designating him testamentary executor. He lets a fabulous collection of   impressionist " canvases " composed among others of Renoir, Monet, Pissarro, Sisley.

                  enoir must battle farm so that the French state accepts some canvases in its museums. Three years during, he will persist in convincing members of the decision commission . Thanks to him, in 1897, thirty-eight canvases on seventy bequeathed will integrate the national collections of which " the dance of the mill of the Galette ".               

Portrait of Jean (1899) - Museum of the Bishopric, Limoges          In September 1894 is born the second son of Renoir, Jean, who will become a famous producer.
Gabrielle and Jean (1895) - particular Collection         Gabrielle Renard, cousin of Aline is hired as nurse.

        Until her marriage with Conrad Hensler Slade, she will be the model preferred of Renoir

                 he will put in numerous canvases, alone or in company of the Renoir family.

Gabrielle to the naked breasts (1907) - Matinais - Manguin Collection, Paris, Gabrielle in red blouse (1910) - Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, Gabrielle, Jean and a small Girl (1895) - particular Collection The Artist's family (1896) - Foundation Barnes, USA,

                       enoir had often surrendered to Essoyes, in the Aube. He had spent several summers in his wife's native village. He buys a house there in 1898.    

                  n 1900, he is to the summit of his glory. Celebrate until the stranger where are organized numerous exhibitions. He is made knight of the honor Legion.

                  he illness worsens, strong crises of rheumatisms distort his arms and his hands, his view weakens. It must pass all winters near the Mediterranean and must make numerous thermal cures. But in spite of his sufferings he remains faithful to his rack.

                  rt.gif (1057 octets)he year 1901, it' s the big happiness. The birth of his last son, Claude nicknamed " Coco ". All his joy explodes in his painting, amazed by this belated son, it will paint Claude time and again.

Claude Renoir playing (1906) - Museum of the Orangerie, Paris, Portrait of Coco (1908) - particular Collection Claude in red dress (1909) - Museum of the Orangerie, Paris,

                     

Claude and Renée (1903-1904)  -  National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa          He paints him notably in arms of his young nurse, Renée Jolivet, girl of the midwife of Essoyes that had attended Mrs. Renoir at the time of his birth August 4, 1901.

         As Gabrielle, Renée will become the model of Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

                       enoir is recognized, appreciated, to the autumn lounge of 1904 a whole room is to him dedicated , in 1905 he  will be the president of honor of it and he paints, paints again in the pain but with happiness.

                  n 1907, he buys the " domain of Collettes "  to Cagnes, city that he likes particularly for a long time. He stayed there until the end of his life.

                  rs.gif (1110 octets)ales follow themselves, prices ignite. In 1911, he is named officer of the honor legion but honors don't interest him. His pleasure, his reason to be, the appeasement of his sufferings: The painting, again the painting. " The pleasure to paint " said he.

Renoir, Aline and Claude in 1912

                  aralyzed, ever nailed in a rolling armchair, the deformed hands, he won't lose the taste to paint. The Mediterranean landscapes, people that he likes, the naked feminine will be his favorite topics in this end of life.

                  he war doesn't spare the Renoir family. Pierre and Jean are mobilized in 1914. Pierre is wounded, Aline surrenders to his bedhead. To his tour, Jean is severely  injured, Aline goes to see him. Her two sons out of danger, she comes back by her husband for whom she devotes herself without counting since the illness gnaws he. Aline, the radiant young woman of boaters, the attentive mother, the woman of Renoir, is tired. She dies June 27, 1915 at fifty-six years.

The lunch of Boaters (1881) - The Phillips Collection, Washington, Aline Charigot (1885)  - Museum of Art, Philadelphie Mrs. Renoir with Bob (1910) - Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford,

                 rh.gif (1101 octets)e persists in painting to forget his grief, only lives always by work more in bloom, more colorful, paints some rounder bathers that ever. Round and fleshy, colorful and sunny women as fruits.

Bathers (1918) - Museum of Orsay, Paris,

                  upreme recognition, he is promoted commander of the honor legion in February 1919. His canvas " Mrs. Georges Charpentier and her children " is exposed to the Louvre. He goes to Paris. He wants to review the canvas of the past, rich of memories of one difficult time for impressionists. He visits the museum where he is received " like a pope of the painting ", and goes happy of his visit out.

                  ack to Cagnes, he undertakes a dead nature, but the illness carries away him.

The Renoir tomb just before the one of Aline and Pierre            He dies at the morning of December 3, 1919 at seventy-eight years.

           He rests  to the cemetery of Essoyes very near of Aline..

                  is œuvre is immense and magnificent. It testifies of his research, of his doubts but especially and above all, of his pleasure and his thirst to paint.

Gentleness, Pleasure and color of "pearly" paintings"

                                                                               Creation 1999-2004©Danielle Meurillon                         Home Renoir Home Renoir   


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The childhood beginnings

impressionist period

" ingresque " period

  "pearly"   period

Impressionist paintings

" Ingresque " paintings

"pearly" paintings



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