Pierre Auguste Renoir

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a master of the French Impressionist movement in the second half of the 19th century. His signature works are light and elegant portraits and landscapes that precisely capture the effects of sunlight.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir Biography

• Born in Lille on February 25, 1841
• He entered the Académie Suisse in 1862 but dropped out
• He exhibited at the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874 and became a central figure in the movement.
• He reached his prime between the late 1880s and the 1910s.
• Died December 3, 1919, at the age of 78, in Cannes, near Coudes.

Representative works

• Luncheon of the Boating Party (1880-81)
• The Umbrellas (1881-86)
• Nude in the Sunlight (1876)
• The Girl with a Polka Dot Dress (1891)

Renoir, along with Monet and others, was a pioneer of the Impressionist movement. He is particularly known for his light-hearted depictions of people's movements and gestures. In his masterpiece, "Boating," he vividly depicts the relaxing figures of guests.

By applying Impressionist techniques to portraiture, he was able to express scenes as natural, fleeting impressions. He also left behind many landscapes in which he carefully observed the effects of sunlight and painted them with light, airy brushstrokes.

In his later works, Renoir attempted new things, such as simplifying the composition and flattening the colors. With his brilliant colors and light-hearted portrayals of people, he is considered one of the great masters of the Impressionist movement.