Two Sisters (On the Terrace) Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)
Pierre-Auguste Renoir – Two Sisters (On the Terrace)
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Painter: Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Location: Art Institute, Chicago.
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The painting was painted in 1881. This master’s creation is one of Renoir’s most striking when considered in terms of the saturation of colors used. The title was originally Sisters, but in real life, the heroines depicted are not related. We see the summer terrace of a restaurant in the heart of Paris. It gives the impression of a quiet corner in a distant village. The picture creates an incredibly warm and simple mood.
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Description of Pierre Auguste Renoir’s painting On the Terrace (Two Sisters)
The painting was painted in 1881.
This master’s creation is one of Renoir’s most striking when considered in terms of the saturation of colors used. The title was originally Sisters, but in real life, the heroines depicted are not related.
We see the summer terrace of a restaurant in the heart of Paris. It gives the impression of a quiet corner in a distant village. The picture creates an incredibly warm and simple mood. This is promoted by a simple basket containing balls of wool of different colors, as well as needlework. The girls appear before us in perfectly simple and as natural poses as possible. The younger one looks directly at the artist, so we can meet her eyes. The older one feels a kind of awkwardness.
Renoir was able to masterfully convey the special relationship between the heroines. The colors echo in everything. This can be said about their headdresses, the special blush and other no less significant details. The faces in this work are incredibly expressive. Renoir painted them with particular skill.
The red headdress of one of the heroines and other similar accents in significant enough details can create an incredibly dynamic and especially energetic plot.
The background in the painting is deliberately blurred. That’s what gives the whole painting a special dynamism and incredible lightness.
We can fully feel the charm of this warm summer day, as well as see how beautiful and in a special way dressed up. Renoir was able to convey with particular skill the instant impression of the scene he was able to see. The artist’s work became truly half transparent, as well as marvelous in its peculiar lightness. We feel that right from within this magnificent work emanates an incredibly warm and maximally lively light.
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In the foreground, a basket overflows with a vibrant assortment of flowers and possibly yarn, adding a domestic and leisurely touch to the scene. The background is a soft blur of greenery, trees, water, and distant buildings, rendered in impressionistic brushstrokes that suggest a warm, airy day. The railing of the terrace is visible, acting as a visual barrier between the figures and the expansive background.
The subtexts of the painting are rich and evocative. It portrays a harmonious domesticity and the carefree innocence of youth, set against a backdrop of natural beauty. The contrast between the elder sisters composed demeanor and the younger sisters youthful exuberance hints at different stages of life and perhaps their relationship. The lush floral elements in the basket and on the hats suggest themes of beauty, nature, and perhaps the feminine ideal of the era. The casual setting of a terrace, with its implied connection to leisure and social life, further enhances the sense of pleasant idleness and refined living. Renoirs signature impressionistic style, with its soft focus and luminous colors, imbues the scene with warmth and a fleeting, joyful moment, celebrating beauty and everyday life.