By the Seashore (1883) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

By the Seashore - Pierre-Auguste Renoir - 1883

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Artwork Information

TitleBy the Seashore
ArtistPierre-Auguste Renoir
Date1883
Mediumcanvas,oil
Dimensions92.1 x 72.4 cm
Art MovementImpressionism
Current LocationMetropolitan Museum of Art (Met), New York City, NY, US

About By the Seashore

The artwork “By the Seashore” is a portrait painted in oil on canvas by the impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir in the year 1883. It measures 92.1 by 72.4 centimeters and is a paradigm of the Impressionist movement. Currently, the painting is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, NY, US.

This artwork captures a young woman seated elegantly in a wicker chair, her gaze directed toward the viewer with an enigmatic expression. She is dressed in attire reflective of the late 19th century, with a dark blue dress contrasted by white ruffles at her collar and wrists. Atop her head rests a fashionable hat, ornamented with what appears to be floral details or ribbon, which accents her soft, youthful features.

The brushwork exhibits the characteristic looseness of Impressionism, with colors merging freely, eschewing fine detail for an overall impression of light and atmosphere. The background hints at a seascape, melding blues and greens to suggest the movement of water, while the distant land is rendered in a soft palette, thus allowing the figure to be the focal point of the composition. The dappled light marks of Impressionism can be discerned in the interplay of colors and contributes to the air of casual repose. The external frame of the artwork itself is ornately decorated, enhancing the piece with a touch of grandeur.

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