RENOIR - 4

Dance at Bougival - 1883

In this painting, Renoir captured the spirit of his friends dancing at an open-air Cafe in the town of Bougival (boo-zjee-val), located a short distance from Paris.  It was a popular spot for city people and a favorite painting location for the Impressionist artists.  Renoir includes touches of reality with discarded cigarettes, burnt matches and flowers on the ground to elevate the atmosphere of the cafe.  Notice their flushed cheeks that signal their passion and excitement.  I can't help but wonder what each of them are thinking.  Let's each take time to practice our skills of observation we've learned so far.  See how Renoir masterfully paints hands and the lady's beautiful face.

The painting has fine color, with the woman wearing a pink dress and red bonnet, the man wearing a deep blue suit, yellow hat, and his shoes are especially eye-catching.  Notice how his shoes match the sash around the lady's waist.  Her dress portrays movement as the man leads the lady in playful dance.  I especially like the flowing layers of the skirt and how the rows of red trim bring the eye upward.  The act of dancing is linked with rhythm and transforming time into motion.  One of the most basic motives of dance is the expression of emotion.  People often dance as a way of releasing powerful human feelings.  A slow dance might stir up heartfelt emotions, while fast and wide movements portray energy and excitement.

To give us some idea of the work that went into this painting, here is a preliminary sketch Renoir made of the couple dancing.....

Sketch of Dance at Bougival - 1883

Dance at Bougival is part of a collection of three paintings that feature a couple who are dancing.  The other two paintings are titled Dance in the Country and Dance in the City.  We'll learn about them tomorrow.