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I've been enjoying the book about Renoir. In the back, there is a tiny 2.5 inch tall photo of Renoir I wanted to draw. I took to the web to try and find a larger version. No dice, but I did find a treasure trove of 935 works by Renoir. I spent a good part of the morning there, absorbing the beauty.
After I got to painting #935, I went back to that photo. I tried to make up for its tinyness by scanning it at 400dpi. Of course this is not a perfect solution, as all the ink dots are magnified, as well:
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But I did the best I could with it.
His hands were all gnarly with rheumatoid arthritis, but maybe I made them a bit gnarlier. Later in his life he had arthritis so bad that he "has the paintbrush tied to his crippled hand with pieces of string so that he can paint." (From _Pierre-August Renoir 1841-1919: A Dream of Harmony_ by Peter H. Feist, page 96)
A famous tale about Renoir circulates via the web:
(Extracted from a write-up in a prayer book by Fr Mark Link, sj.)
"WHEN FRENCH IMPRESSIONIST PAINTER Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was confined to his home during the last decade of his life, Henri Matisse was nearly 28 years younger than him. The two great artists were dear friends and frequent companions. Matisse visited him daily. Renoir, almost paralyzed by arthritis, continued to paint in spite of his infirmities. One day as Matisse watched the elder painter work in his studio, fighting torturous pain with each brush stroke, he blurted out: “Auguste, why do you continue to paint when you are in such agony?”
Renoir said: “The pain passes but the beauty remains.”
I've tried to convey Renoir's strength of Will in my drawing. His great Will overcame the limitations of his physical body.
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