Book Description

Featuring more that 250 color reproductions, this comprehensive edition explores Renoir's formative years, his artistic evolution among the Impressionist painters of the Parisian art world, and the fame he enjoyed before his death in 1919. Includes extensive critical text and captions. ... Read more

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Renoir- his life and works
A very large lovely book with many of Renoir's most famous works. Has a somewhat brief bio as well with many actual photos of Renoir himself, his family and works. ... Read more

Book Description

This sumptuously illustrated book is the first devoted exclusively to Renoir`s portraiture, and in it are gathered the finest examples of the portraits he painted during each period of his prolific career. In these delightful paintings Renoir creates uniquely endearing and enduring images of pleasure, comfort, and prosperity. ... Read more

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Renoir's portraits and their history beautifully done
You like Renoir's work but also want the story behind the paintings. Search no further. This book will impress the serious collector or art historian with the in-depth research on each piece. This book will be enjoyed by newcomers to art appreciation with it's beautiful and large paintings. If you have several books of Renoir's work and haven't purchased this one yet, you don't have the best.

The authors display the artwork wonderfully, each picture's history in detail, and follow-up with extensive notes and references. Treat yourself. ... Read more

Book Description

Film director Jean Renoir was the son of the great impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. In this delightful memoir, he tells the story of his famous father, capturing the artist's unpretentious and engaging personality. The author describes his father's early years as a painter of fans and porcelain, evolving thoughts about the effect of light on paintings, and relationships with such luminaries as Monet and Cezanne. Affectionately rendered through the eyes of a loving son, this work is a charming double portrait of both artists. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Beautiful
Impressionism is my favorite style of painting so I was really enchanted with this biography. Written by Renoir's middle son, Jean, Renoir, My Father not only gives us an intimate look at the life of Auguste Renoir, it gives us an intimate look at the Paris of Renoir's day as well.

As we get to know Renoir we get to know his contemporaries, too. Jean Renoir writes about Monet, Cezanne, Manet, Sisley and many other great artists. We learn many "little known" facts, such as Monet's penchant for lace and his "artful" way with the ladies.

Paris really comes alive in this book. Many of the places Renoir writes about still exist and can be visited today. This book makes any art lover's trip to Paris more meaningful whether he's a Renoir fan or not.

When reading this book, one must remember that this is not a "run of the mill" biography. This is a son writing about the father he adored. The portrait we are given is very intimate, detailed and loving. It's obvious that Jean Renoir adored his father, just as Auguste Renoir adored his family.

Ultimately, this book is a beautiful tribute from a loving son to a father who was one of history's consummate artists. If you have any interest at all in art, this is one book you simply must not pass up. The last page alone will break your heart.

A Vivid Portait
Renoir was far more than one of the world's greatest artists. He was an adventurer, a family man, a man who held interesting views on just about every subject under the sun, and finally, in his later years, a martyr to life. Although this book was written by Renoir's middle son, Jean, it is as vibrant and alive as if Renoir, himself, had just written the words in his own hand. Through this book we learn how the Renoir family left its roots in Limoges and moved to Paris. We read of Renoir's early years as a painter of porcelain and how and why he became an artist, more specifically, an Impressionist. We learn of Renoir's marriage to Aline Charigot of Essoyes, the birth of his three sons and his move to the south of France. Some of the most interesting sections of the book deal with Renoir's feelings about the effect of light on a painting and why he needed to paint in a "natural" setting. Also, most interesting are the chapters on the birth of Impressionism and Renoir's relationships with the other artists of the time, such as Monet, Manet, Sisley and Cezanne, just to name a few. Lovingly and charmingly written, this book truly brings Renoir to life and makes him accessible to all. Absolutely a must for anyone with even a passing interest in art or artists!

Therapy
We adopted "Renoir, My Father" as bedside reading while my wife was recovering from hip surgery, and (aside, perhaps, from "Goodnight, Moon,") I can't imagine better therapy. This is odd, in a way: Claude was an old man (and in pain) when Jean got to know him, and Jean was an old man when he finally brought his recollectios together. You might expect cranky, but nothing of the sort: it's a book full of sunny afterglow. Every parent would hope to be rememnbered so well.

The book might take a bit of getting used to: Jean has his own pace and his own way of telling his story. We did it in small doses and I'm not certain yet that I quite catch the rhythm. None of the rough edges have been smoothed off which, come to think of it, is just as Claude would have wanted: Jean speaks with his own voice. You have to listen well, but you know that the voice is nobody else's.

I suppose it helps to know a bit about the Impressionists to enjoy it all, but I can't say I know all that much, and I didn't feel impaired. Anyway, God bless Google: more than once, when Jean talked about a painting or a subject, I key-clicked my way to an image and completed (as it were) the picture.

Kudos also to NYRB (this time) for producing what it does not always produce: a finished physical specimen The paper feels like quality; the binding is sturdy, and there is a small but satisfying selection of pictures, both colored and black-and-white. There is even an index of sorts (I assume from the original translator) but it is patchy and incomplete. That last is a shortcoming, but forgivable in light of the book's other virtues. In the NYRB firmament, this is surely a star.

A good book on Renoir; a good book too, about Paris
Not only is this a book about Renoir, whose tableaux peer out of every other art store on every mall in North America (what a curious fate!), it is also a book about Paris. Born in 1841, Renoir was older than most of the other Impressionists with whom he grew friendly later. He also had the chance to see Paris as it was before the Commune and the war of 1870. He lived a good part of his life on the Butte in Montmartre and it is hard now to recapture the atmosphere up there among the hordes of tourists. Yet early on Sunday mornings with a light rain playing on the umbrellas of the artist's stands in the Place du Tertre, you can wander freely among the memories of the rue Lepic and elsewhere, and catch glimpses of Renoir (and others) as you pass through the old streets. Reading this book first will help.

Jean Renoir is a very famous artist in his own right, having made numerous films and become one of the most acclaimed directors in French cinema history. Here he has taken great pains to paint a fine portrait of his renowned father, this time with a pen. He has succeeded admirably.

Charming
This book presents a very touching portrait of Auguste Renoir. The recollections of his son, Jean, are wonderful to read and bring the artist alive, both as a man and as an aritst. And if you read the book, you will see why "The Cork" preferred never to be referred to as an "artist," a title he certainly deserves! ... Read more

Book Description

French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919) enjoyed life to a degree seemingly denied most artists, and this joie de vivre is reflected in the lighthearted, sensual, and luminous elements of his work. Full-color reproductions and thorough text provide a quick yet solid introduction to this master. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Joy For Any Home!
WOW! What a collection in this book!

For any Renoir lover, student, artist, teacher or simply someone who wants to see a fantastic collection by one artist in one book.

Unsurpassed as a coffee-table conversation piece.

"A Dream of Harmony"! ... Read more

Book Description

La vie en rose. The world's happiest paintings.

Auguste Renoir's timelessly charming paintings are the embodiment of happiness, love, and beauty. TASCHEN's Renoir, the most complete retrospective book of this painter's work, examines in detail the history and motivation behind the legend. Though he began his career painting landscapes in the impressionist style, Renoir (1841-1919) found his true affinity only after he began painting portraits, for which he abandoned the impressionists altogether. Though he was often misunderstood and criticized, Renoir remains one of history's most well-loved painters-undoubtedly because of the warmth and happy cheer his paintings exude.

In his insightful text which details the artist's entire career and traces his stylistic evolution, Gilles Néret insists that Renoir reinvented the woman in painting through his everyday goddesses with overly plump, round hips and breasts; this last phase in Renoir's work, in which he returned to the simple pleasure of painting the female nude in his baigneuses series, was his most innovative and stylistically influential (it can even be said that it later inspired Matisse and Picasso).

With a complete chronology, bibliography, index of works, and 600 gorgeous, large-format color reproductions, as well as photos and sketches illustrating Renoir's life and work, TASCHEN's Renoir is the essential reference book for this master painter. ... Read more

Book Description

Renoir's La Promenade is one of the most engaging and approachable of all Impressionist paintings. This study of the work--a masterpiece from the Getty collection--reveals surprising details about the sexual, historical, and artistic contexts in which the painting was created. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

As described
Good quality reproductions on heavy stock. Not the paintings I'd have chosen but that is a matter of taste. shipped within published time parameter.

You should collect them all.
One of a series from Dover that includes Cassatt, Dali, Degas, Gauguin, Homer, Kahlo...you get the idea. Ridiculously inexpensive, you should collect them all. Once you have them, you'll resist ripping them out of the cute little booklet & mailing them. Maybe, like me, you'll keep them in a drawer by your computer as handy fine art stress relievers.

Bob Rixon ... Read more

Book Description

Another title from The Crown Art Library, the most useful monographs available on a wide range of significant artists. Each volume is written by an internationally recognized authority and is generously illustrated with full-color reproductions of the artist's paintings and two-color reproductions of sketches and line drawings. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very Good!
I got this book of Renior's art as as a gift several years ago and I really like it and I highly recommend it!

An Artist in the Fullest Sense of the Word
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was an artist in the fullest sense of the word.Thepaintings he left us show us the simplicity and sensuality of his times andtheir brilliant colors and joyous images express the passion of Renoir'sown soul.

The paradise of color and the changing effects of light wereRenoir's greatest gift to the world.This book, Renoir:The Crown ArtLibrary, showcases some of the artist's most beloved works and gives abrief overview of his life.

A quick glance at this book tells you thatRenoir's favorite subject was always people.In fact, it is possible toselect an entire series of masterpieces from Renoir's works withoutincluding even one landscape--something that would be impossible with anyof the other Impressionists.

The people created by Renoir are alwaysfilled with the warm joy of simply being alive.Of the many illustrationsin this book, most are in color, allowing us to both study and participatein the "joie de vivre" that Renoir, more than any other artist,communicated to the world.

There is a short analysis of the evolution ofRenoir's technique and we learn why he abandoned the dark, sombre colors ofthe Old Masters and turned to the brilliant reds, blues, yellows and greensof which he was so fond.

We learn how and why the feminine form becamea stronger and stronger element in his paintings, especially those of hislater years, and we see how, in the last ten years of his life, he limitedhis palette to only a few colors--cinnabar, ochre, Naples yellow, black andsome white, yet managed to create playful visions of a sun-bright world,seemingly devoid of weight; paintings in which contours of people andsurroundings are blurred and all is joined in a concord of color andnaturalness.

Renoir:The Crown Art Library is a wonderful introductionto the life and style of this master Impressionist, the world's most joyouspainter.Those looking for a biography of Renoir would be better offchoosing Renoir, My Father, by Jean Renoir, the artist's middle son. In-depth analyses of Impressionism and Renoir's own technique inparticular, are also better covered in other books such as Rewald's Historyof Impressionism.

But for the vast majority of people, laymen who onlywant to increase their knowledge and appreciation of the world's greatestartists, Renoir:The Crown Art Library offers a wonderful starting point. With is lavish illustrations and lively text, it will broaden the scope ofanyone's understanding.The book is a joy to browse and once insight isgained into the how and why of each painting, that joy is onlyincreased.

While certainly far from exhaustive, Renoir:The Crown ArtLibrary, is a lovely book and anyone with even a passing interest in Renoirand Impressionism will find it well worth their while.

Renoir's Life
This book was very informative, of both Renoir's life as well as his art. I enjoyed reading it thoroughly and would recommend it to any art lovers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Impressionist Perfection on every page!
This book was splendid! It was georgeously created, and it the care the author and editor put into the making of this book shows on every page. The thing that makes this book unique is that every painting is shown IN COLOR--not black and white sections taking up half the book, etc. The paintings are also put on the page in a way that makes you focus on the genius of each and every one. It makes you realize that Renoir truly was a genius in his time. He was an original and stylish painter, and this book is a great tribute to him and his art---as well as a book that anyone, with art history knowledge or not, would enjoying having on both his/her coffee table and as a book to read and treasure! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This stunning book is a lavish celebration of Renoir's life, exploring his early formative years and his rapid progression into one of the world's most highly respected Impressionist painters. More than 250 of the artist's better known works are reproduced with amazing clarity, and are a testament to Renoir's diverse talent and imagination. From his subtle, tender images of children in paintings such as Girls at the Piano and The Letter, to his full-textured and opulent paintings such as Sleeping Odalisque and Ode to Flowers, Renoir really was the Workman of Painting. --Naomi Gesinger ... Read more

Book Description

This title is one in a series presenting four masterpieces by four immortal French impressionist painters.Each miniature book faithfully reproduces its title painting on the front cover, and is packaged in a handsome slipcase that doubles as a picture frame. The frame can stand up on a desk or tabletop or be hung on the wall to display the book cover?s striking painting. Each book?s interior discusses its title painting, describing the artist?s approach to his work, analyzing the picture?s fine points, and showing close-up details from the painting. A final two-page spread presents a timeline capsule biography that listssignificant events in the painter?s life.Renoir?Dance at Bougival shows and discusses Piere-Auguste Renoir?s festive painting, which places many of his personal friends in the picture?s foreground. Painted in 1876, it now hangs in the Musée d?Orsay in Paris. ... Read more

Book Description

PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (1841-1919) was born in Limoges, the son of a tailor who moved with his family to Paris when Renoir was a young child. His early ambition was to become a decorator of porcelain but, finding himself at the hub of the art world, he became a student at the Gleyre Academy where he made the acquaintance of Monet, Bazille and Sisley and where his career was redirected to painting. He had already attained some measure of success before he exhibited with them in the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874 when he was aged 33.
His career was furthered by his early success as a portrait-painter but it was as a painter of la vie Parisenne, of the bars and theatres of the capital, of the Seine and ultimately, of the female form that he is best known.
Later he ventured further afield to the South of France, working for a time with Cézanne where they painted similar subjects such as Mont Sainte-Victoire together.He also visited Algeria and Venice, through which he enlarged the range of his work.
Later in his life he turned his attention to sculpture despite suffering crippling arthritis in his hands and wrists.In spite of al this, Renoir continued to paint almost until the day he died. ... Read more

Book Description

Each of the affordable, trim, pocket-size volumes in the Pocket Painters series showcases a single artist through 20 of his most famous paintings. The high-quality full-color reproductions are faithful to the original works, and the accompanying commentaries foster a better understanding of the art and its creator. ... Read more

Book Description

Continuously in print for more than 20 years, Abrams' Masters of Art series has always been known for its exceptional quality and value. Now these classic volumes devoted to the lives and works of the world's great painters have been newly redesigned and released in paperback for the first time. The comprehensive texts, written by distinguished art historians, provide incisive and informative portraits of the artists and perceptive commentaries on their works and achievements. Each book features 40 full-page, full-color plates accompanied by commentary on the facing page. Numerous black-and-white illustrations supplement the text. ... Read more