Dance in the Country
1883
Medium
pen and brush and gray ink on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 47.6 x 30.2 cm (18 3/4 x 11 7/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Accession Number
1995.47.65
Art Historical Context
Step into the sunlit world of Pierre-Auguste Renoir'sDance in the Country* (1883), a drawing that captures the artist's fascination with joyful social scenes. As a leading figure in the Impressionist movement, Renoir often depicted Parisians at leisure—dancing, picnicking, and embracing life's pleasures. Created during the height of Impressionism in late 19th-century France, this work reflects the era's shift toward celebrating everyday moments over grand historical subjects, influenced by the bustling cafés and rural fêtes around Paris. Rendered in pen and brush with gray ink on smooth wove ...
About the Artist
Auguste Renoir · 1841–1919
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was a founding figure of Impressionism whose luminous depictions of Parisian leisure, sensuous female forms, and sun-dappled landscapes made him one of the most beloved painters in Western art history. Born in Limoges to a working-class family, Renoir began as a porcelain painter before pursuing fine arts, and this early craft experience gave him facility with the...