In a 1946 interview with the American journalist Jerome Seckler, Henri Matisse said, “I think that art must not be a disagreeable thing. There is enough unhappiness in life to turn one towards the joy.” The quotation might equally well describe Renoir’s attitude to painting. He stands out from his contemporaries in his celebration of humanity and his joyous embrace of modern life. The son of a tailor and a dressmaker, he came from a working-class background, yet his paintings rarely dwell on social questions. Instead, they embrace the world with an exuberance that is fundamental to his art. This exhibition, covering the first twenty years of Renoir’s working life, brings that joie de vivre into focus. Across six galleries, it traces his delight in the simple pleasures of good food, convivial company, romance and love through the themes of "The Bohemian Years", "Fêtes Galantes", "Streets of Paris", "Beyond the City", "Family" and "Intimacy". In the first gallery, a self-portrait presents Renoir as an emaciated, serious young man, full of nervous energy. Yet in the same room we see his embrace of the artistic life, however difficult it might have been. Mother Antony’s Tavern (1866) celebrates fellowship, artistic camaraderie, defiance of convention and the pleasures of la vie bohème despite its hardships. Here is an artist not depicting deprivation but the warmth and vitality of human company. The second gallery takes Watteau and his contemporaries as a point of reference, but there is little of the elegiac wistfulness or the hint of melancholy associated with that earlier tradition. Instead, Renoir brings the fête galante into the modern world, filling it with flirtation, lovers and social interaction, culminating in the brilliant Dance at the Moulin de la Galette (1876). The crowded dance floor becomes a celebration of movement, sociability and youthful pleasure. Next comes the life of the city, and despite the rain in The Umbrellas (1881, reworked 1885), Paris is full of hustle and bustle: the enjoyment of a family outing and perhaps a hint of romantic interest. Equally buoyant is Renoir’s presentation of life outside the city. The depiction of rowers, dancers and people lunching in the open air captures the exhilarating freedom and spontaneity of rural recreation.The exhibition then turns to family life, including portraits of the sons and daughters of the art dealer Durand-Ruel. These are not psychologically probing studies but affectionate depictions of innocence, growing confidence and filial attachment. Sibling rivalry and adolescent angst are conspicuously absent. The exhibition concludes with more intimate relationships and domestic scenes as Renoir’s interest in human connection becomes increasingly personal. In the gallery devoted to “Intimacy”, the exhibition comes almost full circle. At Renoir’s Home, rue St-Georges (1876) provides a thoughtful counterpoint to Mother Antony’s Tavern in the opening gallery. Once again we have a gathering of Renoir’s friends, but this time the setting is domestic rather than bohemian. The painting suggests a new, quieter form of companionship, offering a contemplative contrast to the artist’s life a decade earlier Overall, what emerges across all these galleries is the portrait of an artist who found the modern world not simply worth depicting but worth celebrating. This is a painter who invites us to share in life's pleasures: to eat, dance, flirt, converse and love. Matisse’s words provide an apt summation of Renoir’s achievement. Faced with a world that could easily have prompted despair, he consistently chose to turn towards joy.
Reviewed by J.C.
Image: Dance at the Moulin de la Galette Pierre-Auguste Renoir 1876 © Musée d'Orsay, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Patrice Schmidt
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