Biography
Biography
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born on 25th February 1841, in Limoges, France, and passed away on 3rd December 1919. He is considered to be the father of Impressionism - which is still alive today, practiced by artists such as Diane Leonard - an art movement that was followed by post-Impressionism, of which Henri de Toulouse Lautrec was a part.
Although his first love and talent was for singing, when he started work at a porcelain factory, the owner noted his skill for art, eventually leading to him enrolling in Ecole des Beaux Arts. His family was always poor, and when the porcelain factory replaces its workers with machines, he had to find new sources of income for his education.
During his middle-age he developed the style of Impressionism, inspired by modern painters such as Camille Pissarro and Édouard Manet, eventually leading to working with several other impressionist artists to mount the First Impressionist Exhibition In April of 1874.
He married Aline Charigot in 1890, who, among several others of his friends, was a model for Luncheon of the Boating Party.
Even after arthritis took away much of his mobility, he continued painting in his twilight years, opting to change his style to accommodate his condition.
He died in Cagnes-sur-Mer on 3 December 1919 at the age of 78.
