DAY 195

A PICTURE’S WORTH 1000 200 WORDS

Luncheon of the Boating Party

AUGUSTE RENOIR, 1880-1881

The story behind Luncheon of the Boating Party by Auguste Renoir is as delightful as the scene itself. This snapshot of leisure shows people taking a lunch break on the banks of the Seine River in France while on a boating excursion. Renoir featured his actual friends in this painting, giving viewers a glimpse into his colorful social life. From a Parisian actress to a local seamstress, his friends spanned the classes and included a variety of artistic talents.

Let’s focus on the two prominent people nearest the viewer. The pretty young woman holding the dog at left is a seamstress from Montmartre named Aline Charigot. Nine years after he completed this painting, Renoir married her. She was frequently the subject of his later paintings, which often depicted domestic life and featured their children. The man with the straw hat sitting casually at right is Gustave Caillebotte, a fellow Impressionist painter. In 1882, Caillebotte helped organize an exhibition in Paris where Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party made its debut.

The painting can also be valued out of context for its intriguing display of human interaction. Spend a moment exploring the possible relationships. Who is looking at whom? —DDG