Reading - Pierre
- Original dimensions
- 59 x 50.5 cm
- Museum
- Langmatt Museum Sidney and Jenny Brown Foundation
- Year
- 1917
Scene depicted
The scene depicts a young woman sitting in an intimate setting, enveloped by the soft light of a window. She reads quietly, absorbed in her book. The peaceful atmosphere reveals not only the love of reading but also the beauty of concentration. Every element of the composition, from the chair to the light filtering through the curtains, contributes to making this canvas a true ode to tranquility.
Historical context
Created in 1917 in Paris, The Reading is part of the Impressionist period of the master. At a time when artistic movements are evolving, Renoir captures the essence of a suspended moment, imbued with serenity, in the heart of a city bubbling with inspiration. This wonderful canvas is now displayed at the Langmatt Foundation in Lausanne, where it continues to amaze visitors with its soft light and poetic atmosphere.
Place in the artist's career
The Reading marks a phase of maturity in Renoir's career, where his technique refines and his emotion strengthens. Compared to other iconic works such as Luncheon of the Boating Party and The Swing, this painting illustrates a turning point towards a more introspective approach, where the Impressionist aesthetic merges with more intimate subjects.
Anecdote
Auguste Renoir once declared: "The eyes are the mirror of the soul." In this masterpiece, he manages to illustrate this thought on a spring morning, where a young woman, immersed in a book, seems suspended between the literary world and reality. A simple moment of life, filled with vibrant emotions, transforms into a timeless painting .