Dance at Bougival | |
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Artist | Pierre-Auguste Renoir |
Year | 1883 |
Type | Oil paint on canvas |
Dimensions | 181.9 by 98.1 centimetres (71.6 in × 38.6 in) |
Location | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston |
Dance at Bougival (French: La danse à Bougival[1]) is an 1883 oil-on-canvas painting by the French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, currently in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.[2] Described as "one of the museum's most beloved works",[3] it is one of three in a collection commissioned by Paul Durand-Ruel. It depicts a scene in the French village of Bougival, about 15 km from the center of Paris, a site utilized by many Impressionists besides Renoir including Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, and Berthe Morisot.
The painting depicts two dancers surrounded by a lively scene of café goers. The painting's actual subjects are disputed, but it is well known for conveying the sense that they are in motion, making the viewer feel that they are actually there. Renoir used mostly pastel colors, but included a more vibrant hue in the hats of both the subjects. The larger group of paintings to which this one belongs is described as Renoir's last foray in Impressionism, and demonstrates the development of his artistic ability from his earlier works.