Renoir Sucks at Painting

I was going to carry on writing about my musical experiences, but I read an interesting article the other day about people protesting outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The best thing or the most interesting thing about the protest was what they were protesting about and who they were. They were protesting because they wanted 19 Renoir paintings currently in the Museum to be taken down. Why? Because they are a group known as 'Renoir Sucks at Painting'.

Now, Renoir, was and still is one of the most successful artists ever made. Prolific in his time and successful, and rich - unusual feats as artists have a habit of becoming richer and more famous when they have kicked the bucket. (I have been practising faking my own death). Personally, I am not a fan of Renoir, I never have been, and because of this I have never looked at his work with a critical eye. I would much rather waste an hour drinking in a Van Gogh or getting lost in the lines and marks of a Jackson Pollock, than looking at a delicately rendered Renoir image of 'real life.' I have always put this down to personal taste, I am not interested in his subject matter and his colours don't appeal to me, nor his style, which is interesting when I think about it as I like most Impressionists. Could this be because he isn't very good? I don't like Paul Klee's work particularly but I can appreciate it - the meticulous colour combinations, the attention to detail, the thin definite lines. Francis Bacon is really not my cup of tea but you can't not look at the rippling flesh, the tortured bodies and the horrified expressions.  Half the problem with Renoir is that he is too sentimental. Sentimentality is my kryptonite, it makes my brain sceptical and my heart harden. That moment when you are watching an action film and 400 people have already died but the focus is on the loyal dog that is just about to die saving a small boy, oh the tears, save me, my heart has broken, that poor brave dog. *sob* Stuff the small country load of people that have just been incinerated - more fool them.

Regardless of my opinions on Renoir, I don't think you can just eradicate him. He was a leading exponent of Impressionism, he was popular and in fashion once, and therefore still a part of art history, whether you want him to be or not. He also painted many pictures whilst badly afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis so I think that needs to be taken into account. How do you think your paintings would turn out if you had paralysed hands?  

 

Porträt des Charles und Georges Durand-Ruel - Pierre Auguste Renoir

I may not be an avid fan, but seriously - the painting above definitely does not suck.