Pierre Auguste Renoir, one of the
Impressionist painters, was invited to paint a work for a new Parisian museum
by the French government in 1892, after steps were taken to bring recognition
to the Impressionists and to put their works into museums. That work now
resides on display in the Musee d’Orsay. Renoir took great pains with this
painting, knowing it would be scrutinized extensively.
The subjects are two girls playing at the
piano in a very domestic and peaceful setting. This painting is true to the
Impressionistic objectives in its use of unmixed paint and the play of light to
let your mind perceive and interpret the colors. It is intimate and close to
home, and clearly a middle class home for that matter. This home-like feel and the
peacefulness of the painting draw viewers to it. It’s a scene people can
imagine or even relate to in their own homes. For example, I personally love
this painting because it reminds me of my cousin and playing the piano with
her.
Upon seeing it in person I noticed how
smooth the paint was—almost soft and not distinct, as if from a memory or a
dream.
No comments:
Post a Comment