In 1921, the building came under the control of the Administration des Beaux-arts. Their original plan for the building was to hold part of the collection of the Musée du Luxembourg which is now the National Museum of Modern Art.

At this time, French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau suggested that his good friend Claude Monet be chosen to create a mural ensemble for the building. Monet created the Cycle des Nympheas, paintings of his famous pond in Giverny, which he donated to the people of France in 1919. The museum did not open until 1927, so 8 years after the gift, the Cycle des Nympheas paintings went on exhibit in their permanent home. At its unveiling, critics of course were not pleased, but today, Monet's Cycles des Nympheas is one of France's most notable national treasures.

Beyond the Monet Nympheas murals, the Musée de l'Orangerie is also home to an outstanding collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings. The core of this collection is from the “Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume Collection." Paul Guillaume was a Parisian art dealer and Jean Walter was his wife. Together, they donated 144 paintings to the museum including works by Pierre Auguste Renoir, Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Henri Rousseau and Chaïm Soutine.

Below are photos of the Pierre Auguste Renoir paintings which were on exhibit when Linda and I visited Paris in the summer of 2018. Together, they are a testament to Renoir's passion for form and color. They are visual poetry of the highest order.

Woman with the letter 1890-95 ... This slightly stiff pose is unusual for a Renoir painting. The woman has just read a letter and seems to be responding with her posture, her head resting on her hand as she contemplates the news she received. We somehow sense the news was good as her expression appears to have an element of anticipation, perhaps the return of a long absent loved one or lover. Renoir pictured this model in other paintings. Twice, he painted her wearing this same outfit.

Peaches ... Renoir painted this bowl of peaches while visiting with the Berard family at the Chateau de Wargemont near Dieppe. The white bowl was a piece of Delftware typically used for meals at the Bernard household. Renoir used the same bowl for several other still lifes he painted during his stay. The "escaped peach" adds counterpoint for the pyramid of fruit remaining in the bowl. The white bowl and tablecloth contrasts with the pink tones of the peaches and the colors of the wallpaper background, a festival of color.

Bouquet in a Loge ... This painting is of a bouquet of roses, neatly wrapped in paper and left lying on the velvet covered loge chair, left no doubt by a theater patron. A possible explanation for this unaccompanied bouquet might be it was given by a gentleman to his lady on some special occasion, perhaps a romantic liaison? Why was the bouquet left on the theater seat? Renoir leaves us with questions and no answers.

Claude Renoir, playing ... In this painting, Renoir paints his third son Claude playing with small lead soldiers. Renoir's art dealer Ambroise Vollard said the toy soldiers were handed down from Renoir's older son and were often scattered all over the floor of Renoir's studio. He also said Renoir liked his sons to keep their hair long, supposedly to protect them from falls, but mainly for the pleasure of painting it. He said, "it was gold."

Woman leaning on her elbow ... This painting was cut from a larger composition. Here, a woman is leaning on her elbow with her head resting on her disproportionately large right arm and hand. She appears worried, perhaps having just received distressing news.

Gabrielle lying down ... Renoir's nudes were usually pictured in outdoor settings celebrating the beauty of the female body in harmony with nature, but this one is in an indoor setting. The model for this painting is Gabrielle, a woman engaged by the Renoirs to look after their children. Gabrielle soon became one of Renoir's favorite models. This painting is noted for the woman's white and pink skin shown with striking luminosity. Notice the full bloomed flower in her hair.

Snowy landscape ... This snow scene was rare for Renoir. He only painted a few, and is said to have told Ambroise Vollard that he could not tolerate the cold. The winter of 1874/75 was particularly snowy. This painting is prized for Renoir's experimentation of light and colored shadows, beyond what was perceived by the average observer. This painting was originally owned by Ambroise Vollard and later by the art dealer Paul Guillaume.

Portrait of a young man and a girl ... In this painting, Renoir captures a fleeting moment of emotion. Slightly out of focus, the young man gazes at the young woman intently, who in turn is smiling. There is a feeling of shared attraction and comfort between the two. The couple's faces and white clothing is contrasted with their darker outer garments and the dark greens of the indistinct foliage behind them. The male model for this painting was Renoir's companion Georges Riviere. Riviere helped Renoir by introducing him to the Paris salons of the 1870's. The identity of the young woman who modeled for this painting is not known today, but Renoir used her as a model in several other paintings.

Young girls at the piano c1892 ... Like other impressionists Manet, Cezanne, and Degas, Renoir loved music and often depicted social scenes in which music played a part. In this painting, he combines the geometric lines of an upright piano with the movement of the girls making music. Renoir avoids too much detail in order to focus on the two girls. The blond girl seated at the keyboard appears to be sight-reading a piece she plays with her right hand. The brown-haired girl stands behind, with her eyes following the notes on the page. This scene may have been painted in Renoir's home. He bought an upright piano for his wife in 1890 as a wedding present. There are at least 6 versions of this painting known to exist. It may have been Renoir's intent to create a series similar to Claude Monet's Cathedral series. The two girls in this painting are the same as in his painting Two little girls.

Portrait of two little girls c1890-92 ... One of Renoir's favorite subjects in the 1890's was representing two young girls enjoying the same pastime together, such as playing the piano, sleeping or picking flowers. He always used the same models.

Naked woman in a landscape 1883 ... After returning from Italy where Renoir studied old masters, especially the paintings of Raphael, Renoir made a transition. Renoir felt he had reached the end of Impressionism. Although the background of this painting is impressionistic, the treatment of the female's body shows contours and lines which are more confident than what he had done before. Some art historians believe the model for this painting was Suzanne Valadon who would have been 17 years old at the time.

Seated bather drying her leg 1914 ... This painting done in 1914 is a recurring theme for Renior, and it resembles Nude in a landscape done 31 years earlier. However the treatment of the two paintings is very different. The brushwork is thicker, the strokes are longer, and the impasto is thicker in places while it is thin in others, leaving bare canvas visible.

Gabrielle and Jean 1895-96 ... Its difficult to paint a child because posing is against their nature. Many years after this painting was done, Jean Renoir recalled how his father would have Gabrielle engage him in some activity so as to keep him relatively still. Here, Gabrielle holds the child on her knee keeping him busy with farm animals.

Woman with hat 1915-19 ... This painting was created during the final years of Renoir's life. It is a feast of colors, dominated by blues, reds and yellows.

Today, Renoir's The Swing is loved for its dappled blue shade, and blue and white festooned figures. But at the Impressionist exhibition of 1877, critics were annoyed by the painting. Nonetheless, it found a buyer, Gustave Caillebotte, who also bought The Ball at the Moulin de la Galette.

This scene was painted in the garden of what is now the Musée de Monmarte. The swing is still there, commemorating the location of this famous painting. The model is Jeanne Samary. The men are Renoir's brother Edmond and a painter friend, Norbert Goeneutte.

In 1882, art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel wanted paintings on the theme of the ball. In 1883, he first exhibited Country Dance and then bought it in 1886. He kept the painting until Renoir's death in 1919. The painting was inspired by Renoir's 1881 trip to Italy where he was impressed by the works of Raphael. This couple dancing underneath a chestnut tree is his friend, fellow artist Paul Lhôte, and a woman who later became his wife, Aline Charigot. The painting is bathed in a bright and cheerful atmosphere.

The Musee d'Orsay's placard for this painting says Bal du moulin de la Galette was Renoir's most important work done during the 1870's. His main aim was to capture the vivacious and joyful atmosphere of this popular dance garden in the Montmarte neighborhood of Paris. The dancers bathed in both dappled natural and artificial light are somewhat blurred. Critics at the time were put off and gave the painting a negative reception at the Impressionist exhibition of 1877. The painting did find a buyer though, Gustave Caillebotte.

On September 28 & 29, 2024, 11am to 5pm, the artists of Atelier One, Graton, will open their studios to the public in celebration of 37 years as a flourishing art community. The historic building nestled in wine country’s village of Graton was an abandoned apple processing facility until it was transformed into working studios by visionary architect Lamont Langworthy in 1987.  Fifteen of Atelier One’s accomplished artists will welcome you into their studios to show, sell, and discuss their work in a rare opportunity for the public to see where and how the creative magic happens.

Participating artists are Charles Becker, Lisa Beerntsen, David Bohl, Daniel  Celidore, Viki Ius, Britta Kathmeyer, Karen Lockert, Monty Monty, Elizabeth Peyton, Robert Poplack, Claude Smith, Linda Sorensen, Christiane Vincent, Becky Wells, Robin Whealdon, and Gina Kuta Pottery (across the street).

Samples of individual work at blogspot: http://www.atelierone.blogspot.com.
Address: Atelier One, 2860 Bowen St., Graton 95444

Bentonville, AR
Crystal Bridges
Museum of American Art