Auguste Renoir Painting by Paul Meijering

Realistic acrylic painting of theFrench Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Limoges, 25 February 1841 - Cagnes-sur-Mer, 3 December 1919), painted by the Dutch fine artist Paul Meijering - the original painting in 90 x 120 cm and part of a permanent collection.

His father, a tailor with a large family, settled in Paris in 1845. His mother was a seamstress by profession. As early as the age of 12, Renoir worked as an apprentice painter.

In 1862, he joined Charles Gleyre's Atelier Gleyre and became acquainted with Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley and Frédéric Bazille, later also meeting Camille Pissarro and Paul Cézanne. He exhibited for the first time at the Paris Salon in 1864; thereafter, the jury refused his work until his Lise was accepted in 1867, a portrait of his model and lover Lise Tréhot.

In 1867, Renoir and Monet were living with Bazille.
Renoir experienced recognition earlier than his friends.

In 1880, he met Aline Charigot, whom he married in 1890. They had three sons: Pierre, Jean, who later became a famous film director, and Claude. Eight years prior to his marriage, he had fathered a daughter out of wedlock with Lise Tréhot. His children only learned after Renoir's death that they had another half-sister.

In 1888, Renoir suffered his first attack of rheumatoid arthritis, which paralysed his fingers. Despite the pain, he worked on, with a brush tied to his wrist.

Renoir produced 4019 paintings, 105 watercolours and 530 drawings, 148 of which were pastels.

Renoir was buried in Essoyes, next to Aline. His youngest two sons were also buried there after their deaths. His last residence in Cagnes-sur-Mer in southern France, near Nice, is now the Musée Renoir and can be visited. The house stands in a large garden with olive trees.