Cleveland Museum of Art

Roses in a Vase

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Date

c. 1890

Medium

oil on fabric

Culture

France, 19th century

Department

Modern European Painting and Sculpture

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The palette Renoir used to depict the seven roses in this still life ranges from various shades of red to warm whites, light yellows, and pinks. The artist declared, "'Painting flowers lets my brain rest. It does not cause the same tension of spirit as when I face a model. When I paint flowers, I put down tones, I boldly try values, without having to worry about losing a canvas.'" He was particularly fond of roses, whose full, rounded shapes he likened to the female body. In 1861, Renoir met Claude Monet (1840–1926) and later shared a studio with him. Monet became an important influence on Renoir's art, as can be seen here in the rapid brush strokes, thinly scuffled background, and buildup of paint (impasto) in the blooms. Renoir was an excellent singer who wanted to be a musician, but for financial reasons left school at age thirteen to work as an apprentice painter in a porcelain factory.

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