Summer 1868

Curator: Looking at Renoir’s “Summer,” created in 1868 using oil paint, I am struck by its portrayal of youthful leisure and the emerging Impressionist style. Editor: Leisure indeed. She looks utterly dreamy, lost in some lovely thought under the shade of those trees. And that light! The way it dances on her skin... It feels like a warm afternoon nap in visual form. Curator: Exactly! Renoir moved away from more rigid academic styles, opting for the en plein air approach. We see it here in the loose brushstrokes and how the natural light is rendered. There is a sense of spontaneity which was quite radical for the time. It also offers us a glimpse into bourgeois life during the Second Empire. Editor: It's more than just light; there’s an incredible softness, almost like she is part of that hazy, verdant backdrop. See how those vibrant greens mirror and complement her own tranquility? A masterful blending of sitter and setting, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Undeniably. And this is very much a genre painting, representing a scene from everyday life, though idealized of course. Consider also how this painting reflects growing class divisions in French society at the time. Art increasingly catered to a wealthy middle class with very particular tastes and lifestyles. Editor: Yet it's fascinating to consider what it might lack; perhaps she holds secrets, that contemplative face. A world within, almost urging you to stop merely viewing and actually engage. You could swear those eyes flicker with unspoken feelings and passions. Curator: True, portraits have always walked that line between presentation and reality. Renoir found a successful and lucrative place there! It reflects, among other things, the dynamics of power between artist and subject and those who ultimately purchased and viewed the work. Editor: Indeed. Art, as with any dialogue, invites myriad understandings and evolving questions! Thank you, Renoir for gifting us the privilege to witness such artistry through “Summer."