Reynolds (Elegant and Natural Beauty)

Author: (French) Dester, translated by Guo Weixiong and others
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-05-01
Features: "To me, a painting should be something cute, pleasant, and beautiful," Renoir once said. Over more than fifty years of his painterly career and thousands of artworks, this modest artist, who believed painting was "for decorating walls," used the light of Impressionism to highlight the elegant demeanor of the figures in his paintings. From The Mill on the Grasse Street, Luncheon on the Boat, Bathers, to countless portraits of friends, collectors, sponsors, especially women, young girls, or little girls, the author narrates how Renoir, with his vibrant brushstrokes, transformed the ordinary into the magical. "The work The Mill on the Grasse Street is a complete portrayal born from deep observation and a bright atmosphere; the dazzling scene of an outdoor gathering—dancing, laughter, sunlight, dust—where the faces are filled with excitement, the poses are casual and natural—on a certain beat, the pink, light blue, deep blue, and dark skirts suddenly turn, then stop— amidst passion, there is mystery, desire, joy, and weariness—those poor heroines with delicate faces, affectionate gestures, and frivolous attitudes, some lively, some lazy, expressing hope, intoxication, indifference, and endless boredom."