‘A world detached from struggles of urban life’: a rare exhibition of Renoir drawings

A Rare Glimpse into Renoir's Hidden World of Drawings

The world of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, one of the most celebrated impressionist painters, has long been dominated by his iconic oil paintings. However, a new exhibition at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York is shedding light on a lesser-known aspect of his artistic practice: his remarkable drawings.

More than 100 works on paper, including pastels, watercolours, and prints, are on display for the first time in over 100 years. The exhibition, which runs until February 8th, offers a unique opportunity to appreciate Renoir's skills as a draftsman and artist outside of his signature medium.

According to Colin Bailey, director of the Morgan and curator of the show, "because they are works on paper, they are not exhibited permanently in any institution." This allows visitors to access a wider range of Renoir's work, including pieces that were previously unseen or underappreciated.

The exhibition takes the viewer through the arc of Renoir's life and career, from his early days as an artist to his later years, when he became increasingly fascinated with the female nude. A highlight of the show is a stunning pastel portrait of his friend and fellow artist Paul Cézanne, which showcases Renoir's deep connection to his peers.

One of the most striking aspects of the exhibition is its use of chronological order. The works are grouped by decade, providing a fascinating insight into how Renoir developed as an artist over time.

The show also features a number of intimate late-period studies of Renoir's wife, Aline, and their young sons, capturing familial warmth with characteristic sensitivity.

A poignant conclusion to the exhibition is the plaster sculpture "The Judgement of Paris", which was created in collaboration with sculptor Richard Guino after arthritis severely limited Renoir's use of his hands. This work demonstrates Renoir's resilience and resourcefulness as an artist.

As Bailey notes, drawings offer a unique window into an artist's creative process, revealing the germ of ideas that would eventually become paintings. The exhibition also highlights the fragility of these works, which are often stored in museum collections or private archives, making them harder to access.

In short, Renoir Drawings is a must-see for anyone interested in art, history, and the creative process. By shedding light on this lesser-known aspect of Renoir's artistic practice, the exhibition offers a fresh perspective on one of the most beloved artists of all time.

OMG I'm so stoked to see an exhibit dedicated to Renoir's drawings! I've always been obsessed with his paintings, but to think about the skills he brought to those sketches is mind-blowing. Did you know that some of these works have never even seen the light of day? It's crazy how much we can learn from artists by looking at their drafts and studies. The way they're grouped chronologically shows us how Renoir evolved as an artist over time... I'm totally fascinated to see these pieces up close!

so cool that they're showing these drawings! i love how it shows his progression as an artist from pastel to watercolor and print. the fact that he was drawing so much before painting is crazy like, we always think about him being a painter, not a sketcher . the exhibit is also really interesting because it highlights how his drawings changed over time like, in his earlier days, they're all super detailed and realistic, but as he got older, they became more loose and expressive . and wow, that pastel portrait of Cézanne is amazing! the way Renoir depicts Aline and their kids is so warm and loving . i also love how the exhibit shows how difficult it was for him to create art with his hands due to arthritis . it's like, we always hear about artists being tortured souls or whatever, but this is real .

So Renoir had a secret life as an artist beyond his iconic paintings... who knew? I mean, 100+ works on paper is crazy! Guess that's what happens when you're a master of something for over a century . The fact that these drawings are finally being showcased after over 100 years is just amazing - it's like we're getting to see Renoir's sketchbook or something . And the way they've grouped them by decade? Genius! Now I feel like I'm actually learning about art history . The late-period studies of his family are so sweet and intimate... I wanna hug Aline and those little dudes all day . But seriously, this exhibition is a must-see for anyone who's even remotely interested in art. Go check it out!

just saw this exhibit at the morgan library & museum in nyc ️ it was so cool to see renoir's drawings and pastels i had no idea he was such a talented draftsman! his use of color is still so iconic but you can really appreciate the level of detail in these works on paper they're like windows into his creative process also, the way the exhibit is organized by decade is genius you can see how his style evolved over time and how he became more interested in the female nude the plaster sculpture at the end is so hauntingly beautiful

[Image of a person surprised with their eyes wide open ] Renoir's drawings are finally getting the recognition they deserve! Like, who knew he was such a talented draftsman? [GIF of a pencil sketching motion ]

[Illustration of a calendar flipping to the year 2025 ] It's about time we saw more of Renoir's lesser-known works! The Morgan Library & Museum is giving us a rare glimpse into his creative process, and it's a must-see for art lovers! [GIF of a painting coming to life ]

[Image of a person holding a sketchbook with a thought bubble above their head ] And can we talk about how poignant the late-period studies of Aline and the kids are? Renoir's ability to capture family warmth in his drawings is just... [GIF of a heart melting ]

[Illustration of a sculpture being created, with hands moving slowly due to arthritis ] The fact that Renoir continued to create art despite his physical limitations is truly inspiring. His resilience and resourcefulness are a testament to the power of the human spirit! [GIF of a phoenix rising from ashes ]

[Image of a person standing in front of an exhibition with a big smile ] The exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in art, history, or just learning more about Renoir's incredible life and work! Go check it out! [GIF of a red heart beating fast ]

just saw the coolest exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum , all about pierre-Auguste renoir's drawings! i mean, we know he's famous for his oil paintings, but these works on paper are like a whole other world ... so many new things to learn about this artist, and it's amazing how much insight you get into his creative process by looking at his drawings especially the pastel portrait of paul cezanne is stunning!

just saw that there's an exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum showing Pierre-Auguste Renoir's drawings for the first time in over 100 yrs... and I'm totally intrigued by it! his skills as a draftsman are impressive, especially when you consider he's mostly known for his paintings. the fact that they're on display now is a big deal, as many of these works were previously unseen or underappreciated. i love how the exhibition takes us through Renoir's life and career, showcasing his growth as an artist over time.

the morgan library & museum is at it again . who needs chronological order when you can just throw all the artworks together and expect people to appreciate them? i mean, i've seen more coherent exhibitions at a kid's school art fair . seriously though, it's nice that they're showing off renoir's drawings, but the fact that they're only on display for like 2 months is pretty lame. can't they just put 'em up permanently or something? and btw, who thought it was a good idea to group them by decade? that's just gonna confuse people .

OMG , I'm so stoked about this new exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York! They're finally showing off Pierre-Auguste Renoir's amazing drawings , which is like, totally underappreciated compared to his iconic paintings . I mean, we've all seen those masterpieces, but it's awesome that they're highlighting this lesser-known side of him . The fact that over 100 works on paper are on display for the first time in over 100 years is mind-blowing ! You get to see his process and how he developed as an artist, which is so cool . And can we talk about the intimate studies of Renoir's wife and kids? So sweet and adorable . It's like getting a peek into his personal life, and that's what makes this exhibit truly special .

omg i just saw that new renoir exhibit at the morgan library & museum and i am completely blown away by how much of his work was previously unseen or underappreciated!!! i mean we know he's amazing as a painter but these drawings are on another level... like wow, i had no idea renoir was such a talented draftsman too i especially love the pastel portrait of paul cezanne it's so sweet and intimate and can you even believe this show is only open till feb 8th? gotta make time to go see it ASAP!

I'm so stoked to see this new exhibit on Renoir's drawings! It's like we're getting an inside look at his creative process, you know? All these works on paper that were hidden away for over 100 years are finally getting the love they deserve. And can we talk about how cool it is that they're arranged chronologically? Like, you get to see Renoir's growth as an artist right before your eyes! Plus, some of those intimate drawings of his family are just too cute! The fact that he could still create beautiful art despite having arthritis is really inspiring. It's all about finding ways to adapt and keep creating, you know? Anyway, I'm totally going to check this out ASAP!

finally, an exhibition that doesn't just rehash his famous paintings ... Renoir's drawings are actually kinda cool! I mean, who knew he was a talented draftsman? The fact that these works on paper have been hidden away for over 100 years is wild. It's like the art world is trying to keep some secrets from us . The way they've curated the show by decade is actually pretty fascinating - it's like you get to see Renoir grow as an artist before your very eyes . And that pastel portrait of Cézanne? it's stunning! I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit surprised by how much I enjoyed this exhibition... maybe I was just expecting another 'Renoir: oil paintings' show

Renoir's drawings are like a treasure chest we never knew existed! I mean, think about it, the guy who brought us "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette" and "The Luncheon of the Boating Party" was also super talented with a pencil. It's crazy to me that his work on paper is mostly unknown, especially since most museums have these incredible pieces stored away.

I loved how the exhibition is organized chronologically, it's like we're getting to see Renoir grow and evolve as an artist over time. And those pastel portraits? Stunning! The way he captured his friends and family's likenesses with such warmth and intimacy... it's just beautiful.

What I love most about this show though is how it highlights the fragility of these drawings, you know, they're not like his paintings which are super well-preserved. It makes you appreciate them even more when you think about all that has to go into creating something so delicate.

The Morgan Library & Museum is really doing us a solid by bringing this exhibition to life after all these years. We need more of these kinds of shows, trust me!

I'm totally stoked about this new exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum! They're finally giving us a chance to see Pierre-Auguste Renoir's amazing drawings , which is so underrated compared to his famous oil paintings. It's crazy that these works on paper have been hidden away for over 100 years - talk about underappreciated art! The way the exhibit takes you through Renoir's life and career is super cool, especially seeing how he developed as an artist over time. That pastel portrait of Paul Cézanne is EVERYTHING . And it's so poignant to see intimate studies of his wife Aline and their kids - it shows a whole different side of his personality . I'm loving the use of chronological order too, it makes you feel like you're seeing Renoir grow as an artist before your eyes . Definitely adding this to my bucket list!