The artwork titled “White Houses” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir dates to circa 1910 and is an oil on canvas piece. Characterized by its Impressionist style, the painting falls into the genre of cityscape and currently resides within a private collection. Renoir, known for his vibrant light and saturated color, was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style.
The artwork showcases a pastoral scene with a focus on buildings which, as the title suggests, are predominantly white in hue. The composition is soft and diffuse, with the brushwork displaying a looseness that is typical of Impressionist art. Fluffy vegetation in the foreground gives way to the structured shapes of houses which stand against a wide expanse of land that stretches back towards the horizon. The sky, awash with colors of dawn or dusk, imbues the scene with a warm, luminescent glow. Light and color play a crucial role in conveying the atmosphere of the painting, demonstrating Renoir’s fascination with capturing the transient effects of light on the landscape. The painterly quality of the artwork evokes a sense of tranquility and domestic harmony within the natural environment.