The Swing

A young man, seen from the back, is talking to a young woman standing on a swing, watched by a little girl and another man leaning against a tree trunk. Renoir captures the scene as if in a snapshot, with glances directed towards the man from behind. The young woman looks away, seemingly embarrassed. The foursome in the foreground is balanced by a group of five figures sketchily brushed in the background.

The Swing shares many elements with Dance at Le moulin de la Galette. Both were painted simultaneously in the summer of 1876. The models in The Swing—Edmond, Auguste Renoir's brother, painter Norbert Goeneutte, and Jeanne, a young woman from Montmartre—also appear among the dancers in The Ball. Both paintings exude a carefree atmosphere.

In both paintings, Renoir focuses on capturing the effects of sunlight filtering through the foliage. The quivering light is rendered by patches of pale color, especially on the clothing and the ground. This technique particularly annoyed critics when the painting was shown at the Impressionist Exhibition of 1877. Despite this, The Swing found a buyer in Gustave Caillebotte, whose painting we presented on Monday, who also purchased Dance at Le moulin de la Galette.

P.S. Would you like to learn more about the Impressionists' circle and their connections to each other? You can enroll in our online course on French Impressionism, now with a -25% discount, don't miss out!  :)

P.P.S. Renoir's art is so vibrant and full of life! Delve into the life and art of this fascinating painter!