Luncheon of the Boating Party
A Painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
About the Artist
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born on February 25th, 1841 in Limoges, France. He was a French Impressionist Painter, whose early works were snapshots of real life defined by sparkling color and light. Renoir first began work as a painter in a Parisian porcelain factory, gaining the experience that would distinguish his art from the rest of the Impressionists of his time period. His portraits began to achieve success in the late 1870's due to the art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, who regularly bought his pieces. Free from financial issues, Renoir took a trip to Italy from 1881 to 1882, which inspired him to seek solidarity in his work. This spawned many of his more famous paintings of young girls, flowers, beautiful scenery, and nudes. Renoir began to suffer from rheumatism in the 1890's, confining him to a wheelchair by 1912. He took up sculpting in his final years, having assistants act as his hands under his careful instruction. Renoir died on December 3rd, 1919; his son Jean Renoir would make a biographical film of his life forty-three years later. RLS
Relation to "Friendship"
Pierre-Auguste Renoir's painting Luncheon of the Boating Party, features a portrait of his friends in all classes enjoying each other's company. Renoir's painting sends an important message about diversity to teenagers, promoting people of all classes and types to associate kindly rather than discriminate each other; this ideal is essential for students heading to college, who will meet and work with different types of people everyday. RLS
Luncheon of the Boating Party
RLS
"Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir remains the best known and most popular work of art at The Phillips Collection, just as Duncan Phillips imagined it would be when he bought it in 1923. The painting captures an idyllic atmosphere as Renoir's friends share food, wine, and conversation on a balcony overlooking the Seine at the Maison Fournaise restaurant in Chatou."
You can find out more about this painting and who Renoir featured in it at this source:
http://www.phillipscollection.org/collection/boating-party/
You can find out more about this painting and who Renoir featured in it at this source:
http://www.phillipscollection.org/collection/boating-party/
Discussion Questions and Activities
1. What are some factors of telling societal class structure in school groups today? Can class be shown just by personal appearance, or does it extend to technology and behavior?
2. Have students partner with someone they do not know very well so they can compare and contrast their morning routine; for example, what type of breakfast do they have if they eat in the morning? What is similar and different based on their class or group of friends?
3. Can the poor and the rich really get along as well as Renoir shows, or is he painting a eutopian society?
4. What are key indicators of the separation of class in this painting? How can you tell that these traits distinguish a certain person's class? RLS
2. Have students partner with someone they do not know very well so they can compare and contrast their morning routine; for example, what type of breakfast do they have if they eat in the morning? What is similar and different based on their class or group of friends?
3. Can the poor and the rich really get along as well as Renoir shows, or is he painting a eutopian society?
4. What are key indicators of the separation of class in this painting? How can you tell that these traits distinguish a certain person's class? RLS
Essay and Response Questions
1. Distinguishing the class of people is a huge theme of this painting. How does Renoir make this obvious for you? Do his distinguishing factors apply to today's view of class?
2. The changing society of mid to late-19th century France began allowing people of low and high class to enjoy the same activities and places. What are the pros and cons of this societal change?
3. What ideal is Renoir presenting to his time period with this piece? Could he be presenting a model he wants the rest of the world to follow?
4. In today's high schools, cliques form that do not associate with people unlike them. What are the benefits of their exclusion compared to Renoir's inclusion of all types of people? Compare and contrast their groups using Renoir's painting as a part of your explanation. RLS
2. The changing society of mid to late-19th century France began allowing people of low and high class to enjoy the same activities and places. What are the pros and cons of this societal change?
3. What ideal is Renoir presenting to his time period with this piece? Could he be presenting a model he wants the rest of the world to follow?
4. In today's high schools, cliques form that do not associate with people unlike them. What are the benefits of their exclusion compared to Renoir's inclusion of all types of people? Compare and contrast their groups using Renoir's painting as a part of your explanation. RLS
Formatting by: RLS