Born in 1841, Pierre-Auguste Renoir grew up in a poor area of Paris. Surprisingly, this area was near the royal Palace where French royalty lived in splendour. Queen Amelie used to throw sweets to the street urchins. In spite of this poverty, Renoir told his son that he had a happy childhood.
Although the family lived in an apartment which was the size of a 'pocket handkerchief', Renoir's father was a reasonably successful taylor. The young boy, who liked to draw from an early age, was influenced by the beautiful materials that his father used. His parents encouraged his art. Renoir was lucky to have helpful parents unlike some of his wealthy friends, such as Monet and Cézanne. Their parents were totally against their children studying art.
Renoir had a choice between two careers, however - art or music. The young boy's wonderful singing voice so impressed Charles Gounod that he advised Renoir's parents to make him study music. Renoir chose art and obtained a position painting saleable items. Soon he was painting portraits of famous people on porcelain plates. They included Marie Antoinette.
Renoir's First Muse, Lise Trehot
Jules Le Coeur, one of the artist's best friends, introduced Renoir to Lise Trehot when he was in his twenties and she was only 16. Lise was the sister of le Coeur's mistress, Clemence. Attracted by her dark eyes and full figure, he soon became her lover. He painted many portraits of her, including Portrait de Lise, which was the first Renoir painting to be accepted by the notoriously difficult Salon.
Lise Trehot was Renoir's mistress for seven years but the relationship ended unhappily. Trehot married the architect, Georges de l'Isle. Renoir never saw her or painted her again after her marriage.
Jeanne Samary
Jeanne Samary was a pretty French actress at the Comédie-Française. Her parents, impressed by the young artist's paintings, actually requested that he use her as a model. He painted three portraits of the actress. In one portrait Renoir painted Samary in an exquisite evening dress going to a ball or dance. This was accepted by the Salon in 1879. Cezanne remarked that Renoir 'had created the image of the Parisienne' in this elegant portrait.
Another portrait of her was revolutionary for its time because of Renoir's use of bright colors. Here he painted her as a rather sweet, innocent-looking girl in soft pink and green shades.
Although the pair were reputedly lovers, Samary also married someone else. Her father stated that: "Renoir is not the marrying kind." Samary remarked that the artist 'marries all the women he paints - but with his brush." Jeanne Samary died tragically young of typhoid fever, leaving behind her a husband and two children.
Alphonsine Fournaise
One of Renoir's favourite haunts was the restaurant, La Maison Fournaise, with its idyllic setting overlooking the colorful boats on the river. He said that: "There isn't a lovelier place in all Paris surroundings. " He visited the restaurant between 1868 and 1884 many times. He painted there and he also enjoyed many lunches there with his friends.
Here the artist met Alphonsine Fournaise, the daughter of the restaurant owner. Her parents nicknamed this pretty woman, 'the lovely Alphonsine'. Renoir used her as a model in his paintings several times. The most noted painting in which she appears is probably The Luncheon of the Boating Party. She is the young woman with her elbows on the railing in this famous painting.
Aline Charigot
When Renoir was a young man painting plates he got into trouble for painting Marie-Antoinette's nose too short. His boss told him that the tragic Queen's admirers might get upset. Renoir didn't realise it but he gave Marie-Antoinette the features of his future wife. These included a small nose, full lips, a fair complexion, and blonde hair.
Aline Charigot was a young seamstress when the much older Renoir met her. She became his model and fell for the artist. Her parents attempted to arrange another match for her with a wealthier man. However, she preferred the handsome artist, even though he was still relatively poor. They had a long and extremely happy marriage and three sons, one of whom became the famous film director, Jean Renoir. Renoir painted his wife and family many times.
Renoir painted many other models, including Aline's cousin, Gabrielle Renard. These four models, however are amongst his most important.
Sources
- Renoir, Jean. Renoir, My Father, Collins Sons & Co, London, 1961.
- Renoir and his Models: Lise Trehot
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir: Portrait de Lise
- Hagen, Rose-Marie and Rainer, What Great Paintings Say, Vol.2, Taschen, Germany, 2002.
Lisa Sanderson - Lisa has been a freelance-writer for many years. She used to write for the topic, British Social History, for Suite 101 under the ...
Join the Conversation