Arte documentary examines Auguste Renoir's complex legacy amid dual Musée d'Orsay exhibitions

A documentary on Arte explores why Auguste Renoir remains misunderstood in the 21st century, coinciding with two major exhibitions at the Musée d'Orsay this spring. The film addresses persistent critiques of Renoir's work as overly sentimental and superficial, while examining his focus on love as a central theme. Through masterpieces like Bal du moulin de la Galette (1876) and Le Déjeuner des canotiers (1880–1881), Renoir depicted social harmony across classes and genders with a distinctive humanistic approach. His son, filmmaker Jean Renoir, provides personal insights that guide the documentary's narrative. Curators interviewed in the film directly address Renoir's patriarchal biases and the problematic 'male gaze' evident in his interchangeable nude depictions. The documentary acknowledges how Renoir's work reflects both the liberated social mores of 19th-century France and underlying tensions between seduction and domination. Available on arte.tv until July 18, 2026, the film offers nuanced perspectives on an artist whose celebration of happiness masks deeper complexities. The Musée d'Orsay exhibitions, 'Renoir et l'amour – La modernité heureuse (1865–1885)' and 'Renoir dessinateur,' provide contemporary context for reassessing his legacy.