Dance at Bougival
Pierre-Auguste Renoir · 1883
Why it's great
A couple twirl across a café terrace — the man in a straw boater and the woman in a red-trimmed dress and hat. Renoir's model was Suzanne Valadon, who became a famous painter herself. The painting is full of energy, and her flushed cheeks are lifelike. It's one of the best-known dance paintings.
Where to see it
📍 Museum of Fine Arts BostonBoston, United States
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Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born in Limoges, France, and started his working life painting designs on porcelain. In Paris he became a founding Impressionist, famous for glowing scenes of friends, dancing, and sunshine. Later in life he lived in the warm south of France, and he kept painting even when arthritis twisted his hands, with a brush strapped to his fingers. He left thousands of cheerful paintings.
