Renoir: Painter of Happiness

About this book

La vie en rose. The worlds happiest paintings. Auguste Renoirs timelessly charming paintings are the embodiment of happiness love and beauty. TASCHENs Renoir the most complete retrospective book of this painters work examines in detail the history and motivation behind the legend. Though he began his career painting landscapes in the impressionist style Renoir (1841-1919) found his true affinity only after he began painting portraits for which he abandoned the impressionists altogether. Though he was often misunderstood and criticized Renoir remains one of historys most well-loved painters-undoubtedly because of the warmth and happy cheer his paintings exude. In his insightful text which details the artists entire career and traces his stylistic evolution Gilles Nret insists that Renoir reinvented the woman in painting through his everyday goddesses with overly plump round hips and breasts; this last phase in Renoirs work in which he returned to the simple pleasure of painting the female nude in his baigneuses series was his most innovative and stylistically influential (it can even be said that it later inspired Matisse and Picasso). With a complete chronology bibliography index of works and 600 gorgeous large-format color reproductions as well as photos and sketches illustrating Renoirs life and work TASCHENs Renoir is the essential reference book for this master painter.