“Oarsmen at Chatou”
Today, an iconic painting from Renoir.
“Oarsmen at Chatou” is a bright and beautiful oil on canvas painting by the French Impressionist artist, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, from 1879. He created this at the height of impressionism and in the middle of his career.
In this painting, Renoir extols the brilliance of the impressionism method at depicting bright outdoor summer light. The reflection of light on the water illuminates the entire scene. The cool dashed blues of the water compliment against the wispy greens of the grass in the foreground. The warm red colors on the boat and in the woman’s outfit stand out brightly in the scene.
Chatou is located approximately 10.5 miles northwest from the heart of Paris along the Seine River. At Chatou, rowing was the favorite sport and leisurely activity. Chatou was also a favorite hangout for the impressionists. They would often socialize at the restaurant, Maison Fournaise, which had open air seating right along the Seine River.
This piece was made during the height of Impressionism, when the group of artists found strength and inspiration in each other to pursue an alternate artistic vision. As such, this painting allows the viewer a glimpse into Renoir’s life and the social activities of the art scene. The man in the boat is Renoir’s brother, Edmond, who Renoir painted several times. The woman standing on shore is Aline Charigot, Renoir’s soon to be favorite model and who would subsequently be his wife in 1890. This was the first painting in which Aline modeled for him. The well-dressed man with the white jacket and dark pants to the right of the woman is fellow impressionist artist and friend, Gustave Caillebotte, who Renoir also painted several times.
“Oarsmen at Chatou” is currently in the collections of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in the United States.
For more on Pierre-Auguste Renoir, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
