For Day #35 of the 365 Days of Art, Dawn (here) inspired me to do a part 3 for Renoir.
Dawn lives near Washington D.C. and so she has easy access to some nice masterpieces. One of her favorite artists is Renoir and here is her photo of “A Girl with Watering Can.” I also wanted to show one of my favorite pieces from Dawn, it was her December ornament, which she turned into one of her quote posters. Dawn is Featured Artist Blogger #1 for the 365 Days of Art. I am going to try and feature a different blogger every Sunday….
I also wanted to share how Jack (here) snapped a photo of his family that was similar to Renoir’s Luncheon at the Boating Party. (Jack is the one that pointed out it was like the boating party and then we all realized how amazing it was.) How very cool.
The boating party ins intimate and informal. It combines figures, still-life, and landscape all in one work. It also includes mixed social classes, a group of Renoir’s friends, and they are shown enjoying a lively lunch along the Seine River in Chatou, France. Renoir was a fast painter (he once did a wonderful portrait in 35 minutes). And in this painting, which was voted as best in show at the 7th Impressionist Exhibition in 1882, we can feel some movement in the piece through the actions and facial expressions. And can you see that he has given us equivalent weight – two folks on the left are balanced with the entire group to the right? Also, repetition is achieved through the curves of the gazebo cover, the lines in stripes, the verticals in posts in the railing, and the yellow straw hats that help to guide the eye around. The trim on the dresses of the two women up front also are in sync. A special thing about Impressionistic painting was that it was usually done without a lot of underdrawing and reconfiguring (and remember that Renoir’s Umbrellas was extra detailed because he was integrating a classical style as he evolved), and so in this piece, Renoir was “winging it” like an Impressionist as he went along.
At center, the actress Ellen Andrée (6) drinks from a glass. Her placement is noteworthy. Across from her in a brown bowler hat is Baron Raoul Barbier (4), a bon vivant and former mayor of colonial Saigon. He is turned toward the smiling woman at the railing, thought to be Alphonsine Fournaise (3), the proprietor’s daughter. She and her brother, Alphonse Fournaise, Jr. (2), who handled the boat rentals and they are placed in, but at the edge of the party. Right we have artist Paul Lhote (12) and the bureaucrat Eugène Pierre Lestringuez (11) who seem to be flirting with actress Jeanne Samary (13). In the front, Renoir included a youthful portrait of fellow artist, friend, and wealthy patron, Gustave Caillebotte (9), who sits backwards in his chair and is grouped with actress Angèle (7) and Italian journalist Maggiolo (10). Aline Charigot (1) is with her dog, lower left, and she is a seamstress Renoir had recently met and would later marry. Read more here.
That’s all for this post and I am done covering Renoir, but if you want more info on the Boating Party, Mental Floss has 15 Things about it HERE.
samples of art by Renoir
Have a great day!
Tomorrow (Monday) will be an art digest for the second week of January and then I will resume daily posts for a bit (alternating my art approach here).
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author update 1-8-2017- for H
a coloring sheet
and a really good book to consider – one that I love for children and adults – is Start Exploring Masterpieces: 60 Famous Paintings and their Stories:
26 thoughts on “RENOIR Part 3: The Boating Party (Day 35 of 365 Days of Art)”
Very lively paint work. I can feel the chatting, giggling and laughing sounds all over the place. They are really enjoying the party. I would like to be invited and hang out with them. I love the details and colors of the ladies’ dresses. I think the paint has different layers and details that keep you explore deeper. It starts with the front or foreground with #7, #10 and #9. The table and various items on it.
Then the left has lady with the dog. She was partially engaging in the conversation and partially talking (playing) with her dog. Then going to man #2 who was talking over to the other side (or appear to). He was a door leading deeper into the next layer and so on.
love your assessment and I tracked with you, YC. as I read your comment my eyes went back around – and ok, I admit it too – I would want to be there – having some fruit and wine and talking – he really did capture what you wrote:
” chatting, giggling and laughing sounds all over the place”
my pleasure. and thanks for sharing that link with me. The funny thing is that I almost included Blue Boy with the Spanish Dancers – because we usually referenced him with those two renoir pieces – and then when I saw your watering can post = you had a link for blue boy in the comments. So in sync!
Love the correlation between the two pictures of the “boating party”. We like the way you reviewed the characters and their positioning in the picture.
Hi – well the review of the folks is my shortened and “recycled” version of what you can find a lot of places – this photo is not a personal favorite – but over the years people have loved it so much – and while the Umbrellas might be the so called important work for Renoir – this is maybe his most popular fan favorite. Not only did 3 critics catapult it when it first appeared in a show – one many said that he thought of ways he could steal it for decades – he was so enamored with the piece. and the Philips guy that bought it – he liked to buy art from rising artists – well he spent an entire year of art money to buy the Boating Party. And someone asked, “You only have ‘one’ Renoir?” and he replied, “One is all I need.”
And while great – I think the freshness and nouveau vibe is what tugged at hearts – also – I believe this is one folks need to see in person to “feel” 🙂
We enjoy your versions as we learn from you. Renoir has always been an artist we enjoy and have spent hours in front of his works at different museums we have visited. Sometimes we see a picture and really like it but can’t identify what it is that draws us. You help us see what may be drawing us in. Keep up the postings.
OMG! How could this be done? Amazing! Thank you!
I was going to write more, but a guest arrived. I was going to say that whenever I saw a master piece like this, I couldn’t see any art elements or principles of design. I saw the whole picture and I kept seeing the whole picture, couldn’t see lines, form… etc. Maybe when we love a picture so much, we don’t want bother to analyze it?
Have a great day.
well actually what you noted is how we should see a picture when we first view it. I mean – how can we break it down – we see it in its entirely. And actually the impressionistic painters were painting with a style of painting application that did not blend fully – but let the viewer’s eye blend and mix the colors as they looked on.
and then further, the mind fills in gaps and it is how we are wired – to see in complete pictures and all that – and so that is the norm.
and when teaching, I used to have older kids make an outline of any piece they wanted to know more. If if their loose sketch was “off” – just by making the outline of the piece they “got” to know it more. and nowadays we have the option to use digital filters to make our own coloring sheet –
but I feel like seeing the coloring sheet version of a piece helps us to see exactly what you noticed – all the ins and outs and the EOA and POD.
and so we learn…
one image at a time and slowly so our mind can wrap around stuff…..
xxoo
You are very observant seeing the slight similarity In the subject and the compision.
Renior’s paintings radiate love thank you for showing this comparison. 🙏😍
thanks – and Jack is an artist so I wonder what he was thinking – he was looking back at his family eating – maybe while Pommepal (his other half) was grabbing an herb from the garden – and he said, “Hey, everyone is sitting here and this reminds me…..”
“Ruffled feathers and endless squawking over a minor difficulty is typical of a crow’s life. I lean back on the counter and realize that could be my line….”
.
priorhouse blog 
Very lively paint work. I can feel the chatting, giggling and laughing sounds all over the place. They are really enjoying the party. I would like to be invited and hang out with them. I love the details and colors of the ladies’ dresses. I think the paint has different layers and details that keep you explore deeper. It starts with the front or foreground with #7, #10 and #9. The table and various items on it.
Then the left has lady with the dog. She was partially engaging in the conversation and partially talking (playing) with her dog. Then going to man #2 who was talking over to the other side (or appear to). He was a door leading deeper into the next layer and so on.
Amazing work!
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love your assessment and I tracked with you, YC. as I read your comment my eyes went back around – and ok, I admit it too – I would want to be there – having some fruit and wine and talking – he really did capture what you wrote:
” chatting, giggling and laughing sounds all over the place”
LikeLike
Thanks for the link up and a reminder to visit Jack!
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my pleasure. and thanks for sharing that link with me. The funny thing is that I almost included Blue Boy with the Spanish Dancers – because we usually referenced him with those two renoir pieces – and then when I saw your watering can post = you had a link for blue boy in the comments. So in sync!
LikeLike
❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the correlation between the two pictures of the “boating party”. We like the way you reviewed the characters and their positioning in the picture.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi – well the review of the folks is my shortened and “recycled” version of what you can find a lot of places – this photo is not a personal favorite – but over the years people have loved it so much – and while the Umbrellas might be the so called important work for Renoir – this is maybe his most popular fan favorite. Not only did 3 critics catapult it when it first appeared in a show – one many said that he thought of ways he could steal it for decades – he was so enamored with the piece. and the Philips guy that bought it – he liked to buy art from rising artists – well he spent an entire year of art money to buy the Boating Party. And someone asked, “You only have ‘one’ Renoir?” and he replied, “One is all I need.”
And while great – I think the freshness and nouveau vibe is what tugged at hearts – also – I believe this is one folks need to see in person to “feel” 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
We enjoy your versions as we learn from you. Renoir has always been an artist we enjoy and have spent hours in front of his works at different museums we have visited. Sometimes we see a picture and really like it but can’t identify what it is that draws us. You help us see what may be drawing us in. Keep up the postings.
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I really appreciate the encouragement – xoo
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I enjoyed looking at Renoir’s paintings when I saw some of them during a stint in Paris. I found them to be truly beautiful.
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Seeing them in that city must have truly been special – right on….
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I hope I get the chance to do so again in the future.
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I am sure you will… or you are likely to see his works in some other town you visit – his stuff is scattered, eh?
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Yes it is. There is nothing where I live though 😦
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well in the meantime …. keep writing and taking pics of all the other stuff that you share … xxoo
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I think I read the whole thing in one breath! What a treat, Yvette.
Have a wonderful day.
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Ha!
And wishing you a wonderful day as well, H.
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and here is a little coloring sheet (fair-use-share) that you can maybe print and add some watercolor too (or not)
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OMG! How could this be done? Amazing! Thank you!
I was going to write more, but a guest arrived. I was going to say that whenever I saw a master piece like this, I couldn’t see any art elements or principles of design. I saw the whole picture and I kept seeing the whole picture, couldn’t see lines, form… etc. Maybe when we love a picture so much, we don’t want bother to analyze it?
Have a great day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
well actually what you noted is how we should see a picture when we first view it. I mean – how can we break it down – we see it in its entirely. And actually the impressionistic painters were painting with a style of painting application that did not blend fully – but let the viewer’s eye blend and mix the colors as they looked on.
and then further, the mind fills in gaps and it is how we are wired – to see in complete pictures and all that – and so that is the norm.
and when teaching, I used to have older kids make an outline of any piece they wanted to know more. If if their loose sketch was “off” – just by making the outline of the piece they “got” to know it more. and nowadays we have the option to use digital filters to make our own coloring sheet –
but I feel like seeing the coloring sheet version of a piece helps us to see exactly what you noticed – all the ins and outs and the EOA and POD.
and so we learn…
one image at a time and slowly so our mind can wrap around stuff…..
xxoo
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very observant seeing the slight similarity In the subject and the compision.
Renior’s paintings radiate love thank you for showing this comparison. 🙏😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
well I did not notice – you wrote it and pointed it out….
it was right there in the caption.
and it is a great example of how the fine arts blend into our lives – such a fun photo you took, J.
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Wow – that was a lovely post Y.
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thanks amiga – 🙂
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Adore Jack’s photo: it recreates the same atmosphere of Renoir’s Boating Party!
Stunning!
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thanks – and Jack is an artist so I wonder what he was thinking – he was looking back at his family eating – maybe while Pommepal (his other half) was grabbing an herb from the garden – and he said, “Hey, everyone is sitting here and this reminds me…..”
LikeLike