Landscapes by the beloved portrait artist

books:


	• Renoir Landscapes: 1865-1883 (National Gallery Company) Colin B. Bailey, Christopher Riopelle National Gallery London, 2007 - 296 pages average customer review:based on 4 reviews view larger image
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An unusual Renoir, the best Renoir

This book accompanies an exhibition held at the National Gallery in London (which later will travel to the US) on a rarely studied aspect of Renoir's oeuvre. The period is limited between 1865 and 1883, which are the years when Renoir actually was an impressionist, competing with the likes of Monet and Pissaro to produce some of the most modern paintings of his time. Surprisingly enough it enables the reader to rediscover the artist through some of his best, though neglected, works. Some of the landscapes here are so loosely painted that they verge on abstraction (these landscapes sometimes remind me of Turner in this sense) and they show what a revolutionary painter Renoir was. Much more than any book on Renoir's often boring domestic scenes or nudes, this catalogue is definitely a must-have if you missed the exhibition.

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A Selected Look at Renoir's Landscapes

If you like impressionist landscapes or Renoir, don't miss this book.

Most people think of Monet as the ultimate French landscape painter, but long before Monet picked up a brush there was a superb tradition of French landscape painting, especially among the Barbizon school and in earlier treatments of classical themes. As you can see from that observation, Monet's brush tended to hide or erase a lot of other fine landscape art from the general memory. Perhaps no contemporary was as effectively overshadowed in the same landscape realm as was Pierre-Auguste Renoir's work from 1865-1883 when he, too, was an impressionist who produced many fine landscapes.

In this catalog from the current show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you'll see that Renoir did an astonishing variety of landscape paintings, each of which displays a different style. I am reminded of the early work of Picasso where he was able to adapt many different styles as easily as most people put on a new set of clothes. My estimation for Renoir as an innovator greatly rose from seeing this work.

To put this innovation in context, this catalog displays many parallel works by other landscape artists. In addition, the catalog descriptions are pretty lengthy and build nicely on the introductory essays that explain how Renoir's classical training and inclination to stay in the studio rather than paint outdoors put him at a psychological and practical disadvantage in developing his landscape art. Landscape painting for Renoir was often a fun exercise rather than the source of planned works. But his landscapes were often quite popular, as when one landscape was accepted at the Salon while two figurative works were rejected. Abashed, Renoir withdrew the landscape rather than have his public image depend on this kind of work.

You'll also learn about the challenges of finding a market for Renoir's landscapes which I thought was fascinating. It's hard to imagine such a great artist struggling to sell his innovative work, isn't it?

Most agree that Renoir was one of the greatest figure painters. His landscapes often contain small figures. Many of his best works combine larger figures and the outdoors. Having seen this book, I was left wishing that he had done more to combine these two particular sides of his talent.

Don't expect to see a lot of masterpieces in the book although there are some. Think of viewing this book as being more like seeing the studies for major works in many cases rather than major works themselves. I came away with a greater appreciation for how hard it is to make gorgeous impressionist landscapes.

Let this book remind you to take a walk in some lovely outdoor place whenever you get a chance.

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Beautiful book with origional idea

This is fine book not only for Renoire lovers but painting devotees.

However, I am a little disappointed that the book's illustrations were not much vivid. Pictures were generally too small to appreciate well. Besides some of Renoire's works of landscape which I expected to be in the book were missed such as 'Sentier dans les bois(1874)'.

The book looks like coffee table one but it's contents is not easily readable in a short time. Contents is in detail and depth regarding it's subject.

Landscapes by the beloved portrait artist

Renoir's landscapes are as lavish as his beautiful women in his portraits.
This book is truly enjoyable.

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Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841?1919) was one of the most audacious and original landscape artists of his age. Throughout his career, he continually experimented with composition, light, paint handling, and pictorial structure in innovative new ways that challenged traditional??and contemporary??painting. He taught himself by working side-by-side with fellow Impressionist masters Monet and Sisley, and in the 1870s began to define his distinctive landscape style of quick, silvery brushstrokes. By the end of the decade he had moved decisively in the direction of unparalleled painterly freedom.
This stunning book is the first to examine Renoir?s landscape art in depth, tracing its evolution from the beginning of his career through his Impressionist period and the early 1880s, when he began to incorporate new landscape motifs and new levels of coloristic intensity in paintings after traveling to Algeria and Italy. With over 200 illustrations, a detailed chronology, and bibliography, the book includes essays by highly distinguished scholars that discuss the range and importance of these works and present many fresh discoveries. They also place Renoir?s landscapes in the overall context of the genre in 19th-century France, revealing how his experiments were radical and??in ways that have not yet been fully acknowledged??influential on the later development of modern art.

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