Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was a pivotal figure in the development of Impressionism, a 19th-century French art movement known for its focus on capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. Renoir's vibrant paintings and emphasis on beauty, particularly feminine sensuality, solidified his place as one of the movement's most beloved and recognizable practitioners.
Born in Limoges, France in 1841, Renoir's artistic journey began modestly. His initial artistic forays were in the decorative arts industry, painting designs on porcelain and fans. However, his natural talent for drawing was undeniable, leading him to pursue formal art training in Paris during the 1860s. Here, he encountered the works of François Boucher and Eugène Delacroix, fostering a love for rich color and expressive brushwork.
Crucially, Renoir's artistic trajectory shifted upon meeting Claude Monet and other future Impressionists. Inspired by their radical approach to capturing light and shadow through loose brushstrokes and open-air painting, Renoir embraced the Impressionist style. Works like "Dance at the Moulin de la Galette" (1877) and "Luncheon of the Boating Party" (1881) exemplify this phase, bursting with shimmering sunlight and scenes of leisure in modern Parisian life. Despite facing initial rejection from the conservative Parisian Salon, Renoir and his fellow Impressionists persisted, eventually gaining recognition for their groundbreaking style.
While remaining deeply connected to Impressionism, Renoir's artistic approach subtly evolved in the late 19th century. He incorporated influences from Renaissance masters like Raphael, resulting in a more structured approach to composition and figure drawing. This shift is evident in paintings like "Gabrielle Renard and Her Son Jean" (1895-96), where the focus on idealized beauty and a more solid form takes center stage. Despite suffering from rheumatoid arthritis in his later years, Renoir's dedication to his craft remained unwavering. He continued to paint, even employing a brush tied to his wrists, producing luminous portraits and idyllic scenes until his death in 1919.
In 1907, Renoir purchased the “Les Collettes” estate in Cagnes on the Mediterranean near Nice. He moved there in the autumn of 1908. The estate, with its picturesque farmhouse, olive and orange groves and the view of the hilly landscape, provided the artist with important motifs for his late landscapes. In these landscapes, Renoir successfully created a silver light that is similarly found in the French landscapes from circa 1850 by Camille Corot, whom Renoir very much admired. The present painting “Dans le jardin des Collettes à Cagnes” (“Cagnes’s garden) is a particularly beautiful example of harmonious completion and therefore hand-signed, unlike many other late landscapes.
