In the 1870's Renoir's Impressionist technique reached its peak, with glorious accomplishment. His fully defined technique rendered facial expressions and movements masterfully. He spent weeks and sometimes months perfecting his paintings.

Living in the moment and indulging in life’s temporal pleasures were among Pierre Auguste Renoir favorite themes, and he expressed them more than any other Impressionist. A renowned leader of the Impressionist movement, Renoir (1841 – 1919) enjoyed depicting his friends and lovers with expressive candor, conveying a youthful exuberance and intimate charm that suggests visions of an earthly paradise. By focusing on the ‘here and now’ of his time, these fleeting moments become relished nostalgic memories. Renoir’s portrayal of luminous color, skillfully varied brushstrokes, nuances of light and shadow all worked together to form a warm sensuality.

1841-1919, French impressionist painter and sculptor, b. Limoges. Renoir went to work at the age of 13 in Paris as a decorator of factory-made porcelain, copying the works of Boucher. In 1862 he entered M. C. Gleyre's studio, where he formed lasting friendships with Bazille, Monet and Sisley. His early work reflected myriad influences including those of Courbet, Manet, Corot, Ingres and Delacroix. He began to earn his living with portraiture in the 1870s; an important work of this period was Madame Charpentier and her Children (1876; Metropolitan Mus.). Simultaneously he developed the ability to paint joyous, shimmering color and flickering light in outdoor scenes such as The Swing and the festive Moulin de la Galette (both: 1876; Louvre). Renoir traveled in Algeria and in Italy (1881-82), returning to Paris where a successful exhibition (1883) established him financially. He had gone beyond impressionism.