Renoir's Writings and Interviews Published by Éditions de l'Amateur

A new collection of Pierre-Auguste Renoir's writings and interviews, titled 'Renoir Écrits, entretiens', has been published by Éditions de l'Amateur, edited and introduced by Augustin de Butler. The book compiles Renoir's own texts, offering insight into his views on art, institutions, and his controversial reputation. Despite being a key Impressionist, Renoir has long been criticized by art historians and critics for his hedonistic, sensual style—his rosy nudes and 18th-century influences drawing comparisons to Watteau, Fragonard, Boucher, and Rubens. Renoir was aware of this perception, noting he was seen as not enough of a 'producer' or 'artist', but rather a 'pleasure-seeker'. He famously declared that painting should 'make love', and when asked how he would paint if his hands became paralyzed, he replied, 'I'll paint with my dick!' Politically, he was not progressive, nor enthusiastic about revolutionary terror or anti-Catholicism. Yet, like Manet, Courbet, and Cézanne, he faced rejection from the Salon, ridicule, and financial hardship, saved only by dealer Durand-Ruel. Renoir bore no grudge, simply observing that it is hard to make people accept that a painting can be great while remaining joyful. He criticized state patronage and academic training for corrupting taste, and argued that commissions lead to abuses because no one is responsible. The collection presents these reflections, which remain relevant today.