2008 Woodie Awards
Renoir exhibit makes only US stop at Art Museum
John Errigo '09
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: Entertainment
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I was intrigued by the depth and breadth of work displayed in the exhibit and how each delicately and purposefully-hung piece of art contributed to the unique and inspiring story of an innovative genius. The art showcase is the result of a collaboration of many organizations and was well worth the effort.
"We are delighted to collaborate with our colleagues in London and Ottawa on this major exhibition to explore a little studied aspect of Renoir's genius," said Anne d'Harnoncourt, Director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Each of the "phases" of the exhibit space represented a total transformation of the artist. It was interesting to learn that Renoir studied art with Claude Monet, and their burgeoning friendship and subsequent work together helped inspire impressive feats of experimentation. A result of this experimentation and Renoir's innovation and ability to take art to a new level spawned a new form of art, Impressionism, which was first featured in many of his early works at the "Impressionist Exhibition" in 1874.
Another phase of the exhibit showcases how Impressionism developed rapidly year after year. "The Banks of Seine," created in 1881, was a complete transformation of Impressionist art to more than just a draft form of art, or as noted by others, "art on the fly." Renoir was further developing his innovative creation.
Through an interesting comparison of two different paintings of the same landscape, Renoir's artistic and creative vision is apparent. As quoted in the Philadelphia Museum of Art guidebook, "Looking at them together, it is clear that the artist chose slightly different colors for each version in order to achieve distinct effects and moods." This is a one example of how Renoir can recreate and enliven anything, even the same landscape.
Renoir also believed in the powerful force of inspiration, which was derived from nature, as evidenced by what he wrote in 1883-1884: "Any individual wishing to make art must be inspired solely by works of nature….she alone can give us a variety of composition design and color necessary to make art." You can see the passion of his beliefs in the creation of "The Wave," painted in 1879, or "The Gust of Wind," which was painted in one session in 1874.
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