La Grenouillère Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)
Pierre-Auguste Renoir – La Grenouillère
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Painter: Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Location: National Museum (Nationalmuseum), Stockholm.
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The painting was painted by Auguste Renoir in 1869. "Froggy" was the name of a cafe on the water that was located on a pontoon moored to one of the banks of the French River Seine. This pontoon was connected to the shore by a small bridge for crossing. Here on the river were islands where Parisians liked to relax. It is these places are described in the works of Zola and Maupassant. "The Froglet was a place where girls of easy virtue gathered.
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Description of Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s painting The Froglet
The painting was painted by Auguste Renoir in 1869.
"Froggy" was the name of a cafe on the water that was located on a pontoon moored to one of the banks of the French River Seine. This pontoon was connected to the shore by a small bridge for crossing. Here on the river were islands where Parisians liked to relax. It is these places are described in the works of Zola and Maupassant.
"The Froglet was a place where girls of easy virtue gathered. They were called "frogs." They came here from the suburbs, along with hooligans and scoundrels. Sometimes they came alone, hoping to find customers. They wore incredibly provocative outfits to get the men to bite.
Two painters Renoir and Monet in 1869 began work on paintings with identical subjects. The styles were incredibly close. The café was depicted in both paintings from the same point of view. Renoir was more fascinated by the depiction of people, while Monet was more interested in nature and landscapes. Importantly, Renoir paints all the details of the outfits with incredible care.
Renoir conveys the incredible beauty of light, which intricately plays on the water surface.
The painter did not at all seek to characterize the great depth of his characters. He did not try to reveal their psychology and inner world. In this sense his art is limited. But it was he who told about completely unknown people with incredible warmth, charming softness and cordiality. He showed how charming the youth, beautiful and graceful any person, how natural their quite ordinary movements. Renoir knew how to pick up fleeting expressions of the face, full of vividness of the glitter of eyes, the slightest shade of moods that possesses him.
For a very long time the painter was not recognized and he was practically not allowed at exhibitions of official level.
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The artist’s handling of light and color is particularly noteworthy. Sunlight filters through the trees, dappling the waters surface and illuminating portions of the figures with a warm glow. Reflections shimmer on the water, creating an intricate interplay of light and shadow that contributes to the overall sense of movement and vitality. The brushwork appears loose and spontaneous, capturing the fleeting nature of the moment and emphasizing the impressionistic style.
Beyond the immediate depiction of recreation, the painting hints at broader social subtexts. The presence of formally dressed individuals alongside those in more casual attire suggests a blurring of class lines, indicative of the changing social dynamics of the era. The setting itself – a popular bathing spot – implies accessibility and democratization of leisure activities previously reserved for the elite.
The inclusion of boats and sailboats further reinforces the theme of recreation and escape from urban life. They represent not only modes of transportation but also symbols of freedom and exploration. The architecture on the right, a small pavilion or structure with signage, suggests commercial activity associated with the recreational space, hinting at the burgeoning leisure industry.
The overall effect is one of joyful abandon and social interaction, capturing a specific moment in time when outdoor recreation was becoming increasingly accessible to a wider segment of society. It’s a snapshot of a particular place and period, imbued with an atmosphere of optimism and carefree enjoyment.