Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)
Biography
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a French artist, who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style.
He was born on February, 25th, 1841, in Limoges. He was the sixth child in his family.
When he was young, he attended an arts school.
Renoir has his first success in 1864, when one of its pictures has taken place strict selection and has been exposed on Salon, an annual state art exhibition.
In 1865 he has got acquainted with 16-years-old girl. Her name was Liza Treo. Soon she became Renoir's beloved and his favourite model.
Renoir's creative career interrupted in 1870-1871 when it has been called up to army during the French-Prussian war, which have ended with shattering defeat of France.
In 1890 Renoir married Alina Sharigo. Later they had three sons. The personal happiness and Renoir's professional success has been saddened by his illness. After an attack of the paralysis which has happened in 1912. After this Renoir was in an invalid armchair, however continued to paint by brush which was put him between fingers by the nurse.
In the last years of life Renoir has won glory and a general recognition. In 1917 when his "The Umbrellas" have been exposed in the London National gallery, hundreds British artists and simple people, who like paintings, have sent it a congratulation in which it was told: «Since that moment as your picture has been hung out in the same row with works of old masters, we were in the great pleasure, that our contemporary has taken a place appropriate to him in the European painting». Also, Renoir's pictures were exposed in the Louvre, and in August, 1919 the artist has last time visited Paris to look at it.
On December, 3rd, 1919 Pierre Auguste Renoir has died in Cana from a pneumonia at the age of 78 years.
The crater on Merkurii was named after Renoir.
As we know, Renoir has painted a lot of masterpieces
For example: "Girl with a hoop", "The Umbrellas"(1881). "The portrait of Jeanne Samary" (1879).
Painting called "On the terrace" belongs to brush Renoir too.
In characteristic Impressionist style, Renoir suggested the details of a scene through freely brushed touches of colour, so that his figures softly fuse with one another and their surroundings.
But I want to describe the details of the painting "Two girls at the piano".
I know that Renoir used canvas and oil-paints. I think that Renoir used an easels, palettes, paper and brushes of all sizes. I suppose that he build up colours gradually.
The space of the picture is symmetrically divided. In the middle are the main persons. In the background it is a yellow and green curtain, which divided space to two rooms. There is a yellow or gold sofa, and a lot of paintings on a dark-orange wall.
The paints of the sofa are so glossy, and the paints of wall are very intense. Paintings are dark and glossy. There is some variety used in the range of yellow ( or brown), because yellow and brown are dominated colours. These paintings are warm, so it is warm picture. The colours are intense, soft, pastel and delicate. All colours are intense, so they contrast with each other.
As I have already mentioned, in the foreground are girls. The artist depicted the first girl sitting on a chair and playing the piano, and the other one, staying near of the first. Both of girls are interested in playing piano, but the first girl, in white dress, is very serious. May be, they are sisters, and the first girl want to teach the other. May be, they are not relatives, and the second girl, in the intense-orange dress, is the music teacher, and she taught the first girl to play.
It can be many verities. By the way, on the piano there is a green or blue vase with flowers. I think, they are rich people, because they have a luxurious flat.
It is a great for delicate shading and fine details.
The artist managed to capture the sitter's expression, the atmosphere of the place, the mood of the moment.
It is incredibly lifelike picture.
