Blog post #6: Impressionism & Post Impressionism

Auguste Renoir

Pierre Auguste Renoir or Auguste Renoir, in short, was leading French artist during the development of the Impressionist style . He was known with vibrant light and saturated colour in his paintings, and he often worked with the theme of female nude. Based on the characteristic of impressionist style, Renoir used brushwork and soft colours to blend his figures with other details. In addition, He also was able to have the freedom to experience with his style which allow him to create some marvelous and unique painting.

**The Theater Box, 1874, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London** – I love his brush work and how he blur out the gentlemen’s face behind this lady. More over human expression in this piece looks really natural and the light source also looks believable.

From 1881 to 1882, Renoir made several trips to Algeria, Italy, and Provence which created some significant influence on both his art and his life. He started to believe that all the previous Impressionistic technique was no longer suitable for him because using small brushstrokes with contrasting colours placed side by side did not allow him to paint the skin colour to his satisfaction. Moreover, he found out that the colour black prevents him from create a certain effect to his art works because it drowns other color and gives a intense mood to his art. He noticed that the color of shadows is not brown or black, it is the reflected color of the objects surrounding them.He began to use clear line to define a form, the expressive force of smooth painting when used to enhance the suppleness and modeling of a body.

**The two sisters on the terrace, 1881**

**Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette’,1876 – I am amazed with the amount of details Renoir putted in to this piece of art. the entire** **scene** **looks natural and** **believable. It have this warm and** **positive** **atmosphere which I really enjoy to look at.**

One of his best known early works is the ” Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette” piece which is also an excellent example of his method to depict the shadow. To be more specific, Renoir illustrated an open-air scene which packed with people at the Butte Montmartre, a famous dance garden near his house. We can see the Impressionist style with a real-life view, full of sparkling colours and light.

Later year, under some influences Renoir change his art style again.To be more specific, He returned to using thinly brushed in some of his other art works and he also stared to paint more female nude.

Example of Auguste Renoir works:

**La Grenouillère, 1868** – I really like his early art work especially this piece. He has this unique art style that can be mistaken with anyone else. I love the bright color and loose brush strok in this painting.

**the Luncheon of the Boating Party (1881)**

Source: https://www.pierre-auguste-renoir.org/biography.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Auguste_Renoir