Renoir and Love at National Gallery London: Light-Souffle Masterpieces Celebrating Life's Pleasures
The National Gallery in London is showcasing 'Renoir and Love,' which a review describes as 'the happiest exhibition of the year.' This exhibition highlights light-as-souffle masterpieces that celebrate joyful moments, including picnics, dances, and playful outdoor activities. A standout piece is Renoir's 1883 painting 'Dance at Bougival,' featuring a couple in swirling pink and blue attire, dancing closely in a soft, airy setting surrounded by fluffy, lime-hued trees. David Hockney joyfully remarked on the remnants of cigarette butts beneath the dancers, noting, 'They knew how to enjoy themselves.' Another notable work, 'After the Luncheon,' captures a leisurely, white-clothed outdoor scene. The review, published by The Guardian on September 30, 2026, encourages visitors to embrace the spirit of these artworks. The headline includes 'Et pourqoui pas?'
Key facts
- The exhibition 'Renoir and Love' is at the National Gallery, London.
- The review calls it 'the happiest exhibition of the year.'
- Renoir's 1883 canvas 'Dance at Bougival' is a key work in the show.
- David Hockney once told the reviewer that Renoir's subjects 'knew how to enjoy themselves.'
- The review mentions cigarette and cigar butts and broken clay-pipes under the dancers in Renoir's painting.
- The exhibition features light-as-souffle masterpieces celebrating life's pleasures, from picnics to dances to frolics in the bushes.
- The review states that Renoir seems to have invented the slow French lunch.
- The review was published by The Guardian on September 30, 2026.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- National Gallery
- The Guardian
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Bougival
- France