Luncheon (Le Déjeuner)

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

This work is currently on loan to the exhibition "Renoir and Love" at the Musée d'Orsay, March 17-July 19, 2026, The National Gallery, London, October 3, 2026-January 31, 2027, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, February 20-June 13, 2027. The boater hat hanging on the chair tells us that this couple is probably taking a break from a canoe trip. By the late 19th century, boating had become a popular leisure activity for Parisians looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the modernizing city, and many lunch spots had cropped up along the banks of the Seine River, which winds through Paris and its suburbs. Renoir's brilliant handling of paint is especially evident in the tabletop still life; the wine glass is indicated by quick, minimal strokes.

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