The general description of the famous painting

Dance at le Moulin de la Galette is a masterwork created in 1876 by the brilliant Pierre Auguste Renoir. It can also be named Bal du Moulin de la Galette. The drawing has a complicated subject which is scenery. Like many other painter’s works, it stated the real life of Paris and presented its culture. Speaking about its structure, the painting is oil on canvas, and if focusing attention on the size, it is 131cm of height and 175cm in length. Its size strictly differentiates it from the others; the artist painted the composition which did not have any frame.

The picture is currently located in Paris France. All who wishes to find this masterpiece and receive the esthetic pleasure from observing should visit Musee d’Órsay which is the owner of this painting.

The painter and art movement

Pierre-Auguste Renoir is one of the most recognized painters of the 19th century. Particularly, he was one the most remarkable among the others; he is known for his illustrations of cheerful scenes and bosomy women. At the beginning of his formatting as an artist, he took the influence from different painters and movements. In consequence, he became a talented master and created a specific technique which gave him the title “pure impressionist.”

Renoir tried many different themes picturing landscapes, modern life, and portraits. He devoted his life to the art and until the end of his life studied and explored the new techniques and methods. His collection consists of the thousands of the drawings, and many of them belong to the most famous in the history and periodically imitated. His creations are natural and artificial at the same time.

The Impressionism Movement was settled by Renoir and several of his mates. They radically refused to follow the established rules of painting, tried innovative style and techniques, and didn’t limit themselves with the walls of the studio. Renoir and other his friends created the techniques that were later used to define the Impressionism as a movement. These peculiarities include the immediate art, picturing movement, real live colors, and genuine, honest composition.

The theme of the painting

Dance at le Moulin de la Galette is famous as one of the most remarkable works from the Renoir’s collection. It wasn’t an imaginable picture, though. The Moulin Galette was a real outdoor dancehall with café, and this place was really popular among the circle of the painters working in Paris. Renoir was usually present at Sunday’s meetings and adored watching the process of dancing. The happy smiling faces and smoothly moving bodies gave him an excellent base for a drawing. He loved picturing the images of real life, and the Moulin Galette was one of these. The dance the Moulin Galette weekly offered was a usual part of Parisian life.

A group of portraits of people attending the Bal was the subject of the drawing. It is accepted to think that most of the figures from this canvas were the artist’s close people; however, he unquestionably used the help of professional models. It can’t be absolutely said that the picture is a real image of the atmosphere in the café. It is more presumably a prepared group of portraits.

In 1877, the drawing was presented at the Impressionism exhibition. It wasn’t completely similar to the others masterpieces and brightly showed the new technique the artist had used. A lot of the contemporaries recognized the figures and faces of Renoir’s friends. One of the writers who was well acquainted with the painter, Rivière, created a review of the picture and this paper was presented at the exhibition. He described Dance at le Moulin de la Galette as a part of history and an accurate portrait of the life in Paris. However, like any other work, the painting also received some negative reactions from other critics.

Composition and techniques

Renoir had created his masterwork by including a set of portraits in one picture. He didn’t give any frame for the drawing, and this act created a feeling of the live picture because the picture is like an extract from the whole scenery. The painter brought brush blows of bright colors to create an effect of moving people. The whole composition can be divided into the light and dark parts which show the sun and shadows. It expresses the reality and helps the picture be vivid. The specific use of colors gave the drawing depth and richness in form. An incredible original style explains the talent of the artist.

The belonging to the Impressionism can be found in refusing to use the outlines and strict lines. Renoir inserted the areas of gentle color. He aimed to create a feeling of the light falling down through the leaves of trees growing around the dancehall and near the café. Among the variety of the colors, he mostly used the tints of blue, green, and red when pictured the clothes of the figures. He also used the soft tones of pink and purple to create an effect of the gentle and artificial light. All the techniques used by Renoir expressed the impressionist movement.

The picture expresses the gentle happiness and cheerful moods of the people and is doubtless the most joyful composition among the number of others Renoir’s works. Hope this Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette by Edward Renoir analyse will be informative for you.

References:

• “The Rise of Modernism: Art of the Late 19th Century (Chapter 29) by Tennislove.” Quizlet, quizlet.com/76824925/the-rise-of-modernism-art-of-the-late-19th-century-chapter-29-by-tennislove-flash-cards/.
• “La Moulin Galette Essay – 1147 Words.” StudyMode, www.studymode.com/essays/La-Moulin-Galette-503804.html.
• “Impressionistic Art Verses Northern Renaissance Art : On the Fence.” bsimmons11, 28 Mar. 2012, bsimmons11.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/impressionistic-art-verses-northern-renaissance-art-on-the-fence/.