Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), the last years
At the turn of the 20th century Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was an illustrious and well known painter. His paintings, which caused an outrage at the beginning of his career, have sold throughout Europe ever since. At the beginning of the century, Renoir, who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, was forced to move to the warmer climate of the Midi. He settled first in Grasse (1900), then in Cannet (1902) and finally in Cagnes (1903). Despite his bad health, Renoir continued to paint, adapting his technique and producing paintings which were characterised by a freer touch and by landscapes bathed in the Mediterranean light. In 1912 he suffered a severe attack of paralysis which forced him to paint with his brush attached to his hand. The exhibition of his 20th century paintings "Renoir au XXe siècle ", organised by the Réunion des Musées Nationaux and the Musée d'Orsay, opens to the public on 12th October. It will provide an opportunity to rediscover his most significant works of this era. A remark made by Renoir in 1913 throws an interesting light on this work:"I am beginning to learn how to paint. It has taken me fifty years of hard work to get this far, and I still have more to learn".
