Summer Landscape (Woman with a Parasol in a Garden)

The Summer Landscape is a painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, completed in 1875

It is part of Renoir’s pioneer pieces in the impressionist painting. In the early 1870s, impressionist painters were coming together to promote their unique way of painting, after coming to the realization that most of the young painters of the time were simply copying what their masters were doing.

They flouted most of the academic painting guidelines of the time to create unique paintings (for examples of Academic artists, see William Bougereau). One of these paintings included the Summer Landscape also known as the Woman with a parasol in a garden. This painting was part of an impressionist painting exhibition held in 1874 by painters whose paintings had been rejected at the Salon as a result of being too unconventional.

The summer landscape is a painting of a landscape orientation done during the impressionist association period. Renoir is an interesting artist to study as he painted both classical and impressionist works.

The Summer Landscape (Woman with a Parasol in a Garden) is an impressionist painting with all the characteristics synonymous with the impressionist association period. The painting has a great balance of color and contrast. It also brings out natural light painting very perfectly as the setting allows.

Renoir had always shown a keen interest in landscape painting, which always had amazing settings to painting. The setting of the summer landscape includes the images of a flower garden and a woman holding a parasol from at a distance of a few yards. The painting presents a feeling of tranquility.

The painting setting and the colors are a great blend of situations for a perfect landscape impressionist painting. This painting is one of the most popular Renoir’s landscape paintings. Renoir was popular for his fascination with painting feminine beauty and landscape painting. The summer landscape is a great combination of these two aspects.

Renoir worked with artists from both the impressionist association and classical fields of painting.

Renoir engaged in a wide range of painting techniques and was, therefore, able to work with a number of painters. He worked with Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille. He also found inspiration within the works of other modern painters of the time such as Camille Pissarro and Edouard Manet.

In regard to Renoir’s prowess in landscape painting, he went to art school and remained under the tutelage of Charles Gleyre a famous French landscape painter, who influenced his painting technique a lot.

Renoir completed a lot of phenomenal pieces in his painting days. He painted some of the most acclaimed and valuable paintings in the world today. His paintings cut across various genres, orientations, and techniques. Among is most popular paintings include;

Luncheon of the Boating Party - Renoir painted the Luncheon of the Boating Party between the year 1880 and 1881. The painting, one of his most acclaimed and famous not only just among his works but also among the paintings of the impressionist association, was recognized for its mastery in the application of light. The painting has rich colors and fantastic contrast balance that made stand out from the pack. The painting depicted the images of romanticized Renoir's friends having lunch on a balcony.