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"Dance at Bougival"

I've created studies of a number of Renoir's paintings, including an earlier rendering

of "Dance at Bougival" in its full size. Here, I utilized only the top portion of Renoir's painting.

An amateur boatman in a straw hat sweeps his stylish partner along in a waltz.

The touch of their gloveless hands, their flushed cheeks and intimate proximity,

suggest a sensuous subtext to this scene. The son of a dressmaker and a tailor,

Renoir delighted in capturing intricate details of contemporary fashions,

such as the woman's red bonnet trimmed with purple fruits.

In his paintings, Renoir contrasted light values with dark values,

and warm colors with cool colors (often complementary).

There are so many layers of paint in this work, as I tried to emulate

Renoir's brushstrokes. Of course, it's impossible, but that;s the purpose of doing a study.

Above - Closeup of the dancer's faces

Below - Closeup of the dress