He painted the world of Belle Epoque Paris as a kind of bohemian idyll, rendered in a lush, sensual style that quite literally put the pink of the good life into his subjects’ cheeks.
Renoir is arguably the most beloved Impressionist and it’s easy to see why. He painted the world of Belle Epoque Paris as a kind of bohemian idyll, rendered in a lush, sensual style that quite literally put the pink of the good life into his subjects’ cheeks. His landscapes were equally sumptuous, and his portraits idealized his sitters. He was born in Limoges into a family of modest means, which may account for the aspirational tenor of his art. Renoir entered the Impressionist orbit after meeting Alfred Sisley, Frédéric Bazille and Monet while studying with the Swiss artist Charles Gleyre. Though immensely popular now, Renoir initially had a rough go at making ends meet to the point of being unable to afford art supplies.