Arcadópolis
Woman at the Piano
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1875–1876
What you see
A woman seated in profile on a small stool plays a dark upright piano that fills the right side of the picture. Her blond hair is pinned up, and her gaze rests on the open music between two lit candles. Her full dress takes over the lower half. A plant in a dark pot stands on the left, and a gilded frame hangs at upper right.
The whole scene is bathed in blues and greens, from the wall to the rug, and the white of the dress stands out against them. The strokes are short and lively, especially on the wall. Notice the dark bows running down the dress from top to bottom, and the red signature in the lower left.
About Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir began by painting flowers on porcelain plates and became one of the great Impressionists. He loved to paint happiness: dances, outdoor meals, children and friends in light filtering through the trees. He kept painting into old age, even when he had to have the brush tied to his hand.
More by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
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