Chrysanthemums
1881–82
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
54.8 × 65.8 cm (21 5/8 × 25 7/8 in.); Framed: 75.3 × 86.4 × 10.8 cm (29 5/8 × 34 × 4 1/4 in.)
Classification
painting
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
16617
Art Historical Context
Pierre-Auguste Renoir'sChrysanthemums* (1881–82), an enchanting oil on canvas measuring 54.8 × 65.8 cm, captures the lush vibrancy of blooming flowers in a classic Impressionist still life. Painted during the height of the Impressionist movement in late 19th-century France, this work showcases Renoir's signature loose brushwork and luminous color palette, designed to evoke the fleeting of natural light on petals and leaves. The intimate scale invites visitors to lean in and savor the textured impasto that brings the chrysanthemums to life, as if freshly cut from a garden. As a leading figure ...
About the Artist
Pierre-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...