Surveying the Landscapes of Renoir

However, chief among the benefits on this Phillyist’s Sunday afternoon was getting a sneak preview of the new Philadelphia Art Museum exhibit Renoir Landscapes, which opens officially on Thursday, Oct. 4. Certainly, I was not disappointed by the works on display, and, for the most part, the exhibit was quite enjoyable. Of course, the visit also featured some of the pitfalls that are bound to happen when a sizable amount of members, some particularly large, pop up in one place at the same time.

Let me first say that the line to get into the exhibit was gargantuan, which struck me as odd, especially since this was an event that was exclusive to members. I suppose the Art Museum just has a lot of members, but expect this thing to be extremely packed when they start letting the proletariat in as well. At one point, I found myself wishing that I had brought my binoculars. I didn’t think anything could approach the Dali pile-up, which held a close resemblance to some old-fashioned Eastern European bread line, but there were seriously lines eight people deep simply to gawk at a painting. When you factor in the pseudo-intellectual who needs to lean in to within two inches of every painting for an extended gander at nothing in particular and the hippie couple who feels it necessary to wax poetic about the relationship between Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet at extremely loud volume, this can get a bit annoying.

But let’s talk about some positives. The audio tour supplied with your ticket is quite informative, while being thankfully brief. I recently attended the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the audio tour they supplied was way too detailed. Each painting seemed to have a description longer than the unabridged volumes of William Shakespeare, which resulted in people staring at the painting for intolerable amounts of time. The Art Museum version got in, got out, and allowed the cramped crowd to keep moving.

I’ll save my rant on the pompous individuals who don’t accept the audio tour for another time, but why would you not want to get great information such as that Renoir's masterpiece Claude Monet Painting in His Garden in Argentuil is actually painted over another unfinished work? He had such a fit of inspiration that he painted over one of Monet’s canvases to capture the moment. But I know: You don’t want your appreciation of the work to be clouded by people who actually know what they are talking about.

You will notice I haven’t really gotten into the works themselves, and it isn’t because some overzealous Art Museum security guard requested that I sheath my pen, due to some irrational fear that I was going to shoot ink onto the face of The Woman with a Parasol and a Small Child on a Sunlit Hillside. No, I’m staying away from critiquing for two reasons. First, I couldn’t draw a stick figure if you spotted me three appendages, and second, I don’t want to sound like the grating windbag who stated that she didn’t like one of Renoir’s canvases because it was “too dark.” Thank you, Art Historian.

I can only state a couple of my favorites. The Jardin d’Essai, Algiers is a vibrant piece that turns a tropical landscape into a colorful explosion of fireworks. Meanwhile, The Farm at Les Collettes, Cagnes, a series of paintings Renoir created after rheumatoid arthritis rendered him so decrepit he had to have his family tie his paintbrushes to the back of his hand so he could continue his passion, is a genuine inspiration. There’s another nugget you won’t get if you turn down the headphones because you’re worried they will ruin your hipster hair.

Despite the huge crowds, it shouldn’t take you that long to see the whole exhibit, something your feet will thank you for. I had gotten totally blasted on Little Penguin shiraz the night before while watching a boxing match, and I didn’t even feel the need for a power nap. It consists of maybe eight room transitions, two of which include a very helpful timeline of Renoir’s life and some great photographs of the Paris surroundings via the late nineteenth century, something that is quite helpful when trying to put the painting into context. You can use the extra time in the day to do something productive. I chose to hit Rembrandt's and rekindle my buzz while watching our Boys in Red complete the New York Mets’ immortal choke job. Your agenda is, of course, up to you.

I would definitely advise you to check out Renoir Landscapes at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Just, for the benefit of your fellow man, make sure to wear extra deodorant. And, yo Adrian, try not to trip as you run up the Art Museum steps.

Image Credit: Flickr user surplusparts