Luncheon of the Boating Party
Pierre-Auguste Renoir · 1880
Why it's great
Friends laugh, flirt and share wine on a sunny balcony beside the Seine river. Renoir painted his real friends, and the woman at left holding a little dog became his future wife. Light dances over the tablecloth, the fruit, and everyone's straw hats. It's one of the happiest paintings ever made and is why people still smile when they see it.
Where to see it
📍 The Phillips CollectionWashington, D.C., United States
Open in Maps ↗Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
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.
