Susie and I went to the Musée d’Orsay this morning, the grand
museum fashioned out of what was once a train station. I am not much for museums, I confess, but
this one has a special place in my heart, in part because it was there, several years
ago, that we heard an exquisite performance of Allegrhi’s Miserere by the Tallis Singers, one of the truly great experiences
of my life. The d’Orsay’s collection of
Impressionist paintings is of course world famous. Surrounded by masses of tourists [Paris has
overcome its terrorist attacks and is again the premier destination in the
world for tourists], I took these IPhone shots of a pair of famous paintings by
Renoir. I am not sure you can see it in
my amateurish pictures, but the treatment of the dresses by Renoir is breathtaking.
Dance in the City:
Dance in the Country
I've always wondered about this Renoir painting, entitled Luncheon of the Boating Party.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/asset/-/mgHsTKDNJVzPAg?hl=es&ms=%7B%22x%22%3A0.5%2C%22y%22%3A0.5%2C%22z%22%3A8.424053958045574%2C%22size%22%3A%7B%22width%22%3A2.021941838592232%2C%22height%22%3A1.2374999999999993%7D%7D
Who are the people portrayed? Are they rich kids who boat for sport or fun on weekends or
working class boaters? Who are the flirtatious women? The rich kids' girl-friends?
Working class women dressed up on Sunday? Prostitutes?
Maybe someone who knows more about Renoir or about 19 century France can help me with the answers.
The painting is amazing, in any case.
s. wallerstein....go here:
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_in_the_Country
Jerry Fresia,
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Luncheon of the Boating Party is at the Phillips Collection in Washington. I haven't been there in a few years, but it is stunning to see it. Most of the characters have been identified and they were friends or associates of Renoir--a seamstress as well as a wealthy art dealer.
ReplyDeleteApparently the restaurant is still in existence--on the Seine, downstream from Paris.
Jerry Fesia's link is to another Renoir painting. Here's the link to the Boating Party:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luncheon_of_the_Boating_Party
David Palmeter,
ReplyDeleteThank you too.
I found the link to the Boating Party in the Wikipedia page Jerry Fresia linked to.
The woman with the small dog in the foreground is Renoir's future wife.
It is, as you say, stunning.
Tallis singers, or Tallis Scholars? If the latter, they are coming to NC next April to give a concert in the Duke Chapel, which is also a great place to hear them.
ReplyDeleteTallis Scholars, my mistake. I must go!
ReplyDelete