PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (1841-1919)

A fusion of color and swirling forms, Les Laveuses is an intimate example of the artist’s fascination with capturing surface, light and color. While the depiction of women was a dominant theme throughout the artist’s oeuvre, the portrayal of women in nature would come to be a favored subject for Renoir, most notably in his later life. Rendered here amidst soft, flowing forms, two women are poised at the water’s edge within a bucolic scene which the artist has imbued with rhythmic harmony. The presentation of the women in this idyllic landscape is further accentuated by their rounded posture which is echoed in the cursive patterns of the surrounding foliage. Heightened spots of impasto emphasize the luscious nature of Renoir’s verdant scene.
Having possessed a strong affinity for artists such as Peter Paul Rubens and Eugène Delacroix, the present composition is awash with vibrant traces of the early colorist traditions, further hinting at Renoir’s early interest in the Baroque period. Renoir’s captivating portrayal of luminous color heightens the feeling of serenity within the present work—the gleaming hues of blue that flow in the waters in turn run through the garments of the rosy-cheeked women, while the flashes of magenta that comprise the flora are echoed in their hair. The present work is thus a charming example of the Edenic plenitude with which Renoir would recreate timeless visions of the countryside. Exemplifying his belief that “a picture ought to be a loveable thing, joyous and pretty, yes, pretty. There are enough boring things in life without our fabricating still more” (quoted in Renoir: Centennial loan exhibition 1841-1941, Duveen Galleries, New York 1941, p. 15).