Pierre-Auguste Renoir
1841-1919 · French (Limoges/Paris) · Impressionism
Known for: Impressionist painter of light-dappled social scenes, joyful nudes, and celebrations of beauty
Renoir was the happiest of the Impressionists - a painter who believed art should be beautiful, joyful, and a celebration of life. His Bal du moulin de la Galette and Luncheon of the Boating Party capture Parisian life with infectious warmth.
He began as a porcelain painter and always maintained a craftsman's respect for technique. Crippling rheumatoid arthritis deformed his hands so badly that brushes had to be strapped to them, yet he continued painting with undiminished joy until death at 78.
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