Still Life: Bouquet of Roses by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Posted byRebecca BuddPosted inPierre-Auguste RenoirTags:,

If you paint the leaf on a tree without using a model, your imagination will only supply you with a few leaves; but Nature offers you millions, all on the same tree. No two leaves are exactly the same. The artist who paints only what is in his mind must very soon repeat himself.”

Pierre-Auguste Renoir,
Bouquet of Roses by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, born in 1841, played a significant role in the development of Impressionism. He was known for his vibrant and colorful paintings that depicted daily events especially of the middle class. Renoir’s style was characterized by his use of loose, broken brushstrokes and his ability to capture the essence of his subjects. In his paintings, Renoir paid close attention to the details. He used light and shadow to create depth and texture, making his paintings appear almost lifelike.

Renoir’s use of color was also noteworthy, as he was able to create a vibrant and harmonious palette that added to the beauty of his works, which is seen in his still life paintings. Still life allowed him to showcase his skills in capturing the beauty of what was part of everyday life, such as flowers and fruits, and turn them into art.

Despite suffering from arthritis in his later years, Renoir continued to paint until his death in 1919. His legacy as one of the most important Impressionist painters has continued to influence artists around the world, and his works can be found in museums and galleries across the globe.

Published by Rebecca Budd

Blogger, Visual Storyteller, Podcaster, Traveler and Life-long Learner

19 thoughts on “Still Life: Bouquet of Roses by Pierre-Auguste Renoir”

    1. Thank you, Teagan, for celebrating this still life by Pierre-Auguste Renoir with me! The sun came out for a few minutes today here in Vancouver- it felt wonderful. The rain will return in a few hours, but I am enjoying the sunshine. I read that Renoir’s arthritis made painting impossibly painful. At times, he tied the bush to his crippled hand. His children were a great support during his final years. Pierre Renoir, an actor, Jean Renoir, a filmmaker, Claude Renoir, a ceramic artist.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  4. Such a gorgeous bouquet, Rebecca. It’s noteworthy that so many of the great artists and also musicians, still managed to continue producing wonderful works in spite of all kinds of health challenges. Never give up is a good motto.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. I agree wholeheartedly, Sylvia. That was the first thought that came to mind as I did my mini-research into this painting. I went down a rabbit hole and did some more research into other artists who had issues with health. Here are a few that surfaced in my search: Frida Kahlo, who battled polio and later a bus accident that left her with chronic pain and limited mobility. Henri Matisse continued to create art even after he became bedridden due to cancer, developing a new technique of paper cutouts. Vincent Van Gogh struggled with mental illness throughout his life, but his paintings continue to inspire and captivate audiences today. Claude Monet suffered from cataracts and eventually became nearly blind, but he continued to paint until his death at age 86.

      This is a quote by Henri Matisse:

      “I didn’t expect to recover from my second operation but since I did, I consider that I’m living on borrowed time. Every day that dawns is a gift to me and I take it in that way. I accept it gratefully without looking beyond it. I completely forget my physical suffering and all the unpleasantness of my present condition and I think only of the joy of seeing the sun rise once more and of being able to work a little bit, even under difficult conditions.”

      I am inspired. Sending hugs back your way.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. Dear Rebecca, thank you so much for sharing your research with me. I feel so uplifted to know that these talented people were still able to have such a positive attitude to life and especially to their art, despite all the handicaps and obstacles that were strewn in their path. I especially love the quote from Matisse. Who among us has any right to bemoan an ache or a pain? Life is to be lived with gratitude.

        Liked by 2 people

    1. Oh, you comment gave me much to think about, Liz. So off I went to find a rabbit hole and indeed, it was a very interesting rabbit hole. It seems that we prefer impressionistic bouquets because our perception of reality is subjective and influenced by our emotions, experiences, and biases. Hyper realism, on the other hand, aims to depict reality objectively and accurately. Here is the issue. Hyper realism fails to capture the nuances and complexities of human experience. Impressionistic bouquets, with their vibrant colors and varied textures, evoke emotions and convey a sense of beauty that hyper realism cannot. Here is a thought that came out of these ideas: Perhaps impressionist paintings were not readily accepted at the beginning because they may have over stimulated a viewer’s senses and emotions. Just a thought – I have no research to back up this idea.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. I first encountered hyper-realization at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Virginia back in the ’70s. It was a larger-than-life full-body portrait of a man and a woman. There was something about it that gave me the creeps. I can’t really describe it except that there was a harshness about the use of light.

        Liked by 2 people

  6. Excellent post, Rebecca! Renoir was an impressive painter. My wife and I visited the Barnes Foundation museum in Pennsylvania a few years ago; its collection includes MANY Renoir works. Wonderful to see.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for the introduction to the Barnes Foundation Museum, Dave. I have enjoy viewing their website

      https://www.barnesfoundation.org/

      How I would have enjoyed visiting the exhibition, “Tell Me What You Remember” which reflects on this moment (three decades after the dismantling of apartheid began) by bringing together two of South Africa’s most acclaimed contemporary artists: Sue Williamson and Lebohang Kanye. There is so much we can learn from artists. Art has an honesty that go straight to the soul.

      Sorry for the late response. It is good to be back!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

You're welcome to join the dialogue!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.