The Art of Joy: Why I’ll Always Love Renoir
Love, light, and the beauty of human connection.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir has always been one of my favorite artists.
I love the color, the light, and the happiness that seems to radiate from his paintings. But seeing the Renoir and Love exhibit at London’s National Gallery reminded me that what draws me to his work goes deeper than beauty.
Renoir was fascinated by people. I am fascinated by people.
As a founding member of Impressionism, he helped transform the way artists captured modern life. What fascinates me most is his ability to capture the complexity of human relationships—love, friendship, attraction, intimacy, and even interactions between different social classes.
That is something I connect with deeply: how people relate to one another and how much we communicate without ever saying a word.
The Longer You Look, the More You See
Leaving the Conservatory, Renoir
I found myself staring at Leaving the Conservatory for exactly this reason.
At first, it’s simply a group of elegantly dressed young Parisians. But the more you look, the more you see and feel.
A young man and woman are completely engaged with one another. His cigarette is discreetly tucked behind his back—a tiny gesture of respect that I love. Another man’s hand is held behind the woman beside him, suggesting closeness. Another young woman watches the conversation unfold.
There is no dramatic embrace or declaration of love, yet you can feel the connections between them.
Who is attracted to whom? Who are the friends? Who is watching whom?
Renoir understood that relationships often reveal themselves in the smallest gestures.
Painting With Light
And then there is Dance at the Moulin de la Galette. So much joy and life in this painting!
A crowd gathers on a Sunday afternoon in Montmartre—dancing, talking, flirting, and enjoying being together.
The people are wonderful, but the light is extraordinary.
Sunlight filters through the trees, dancing across faces, hats, dresses, and the ground. Renoir somehow captures that constantly shifting, dappled light so beautifully that you can almost imagine yourself beneath those trees.
It is genius.
Seeing so many of his works together also reminded me of his range. Some paintings are loose, luminous, and unmistakably Impressionist; others feel more defined and almost realistic.
Yet whatever the style, the people and their connections to one another remain at the heart of the work.
Dance at the Moulin de la Galette, Renoir
The Art of Joy
Throughout the exhibition, there are couples dancing, friends gathered around tables, young women sitting together, and crowds enjoying afternoons outdoors.
These aren't grand moments. They are the simple moments that make up life.
And perhaps that is why Renoir feels especially meaningful to me right now.
The world can feel challenging and heavy at times. And art can't make those challenges disappear, but I believe it can lift us. It can transport us, remind us of beauty, and reconnect us with the things that make life worth celebrating.
There is tremendous value in that.
Dance at Bougival, Renoir
Joy isn't frivolous. Beauty isn't superficial.
Beneath all that beauty, Renoir was observing something much more complicated: us.
How we gather. How we flirt. How we love. And how much we communicate without saying anything at all.
More than a century later, those connections still feel remarkably familiar.
Maybe that's why I'll always love Renoir.
He reminds me to notice the beauty, connection, and joy already around us.
La Grenouillere, Renoir
MBellished Tip
If you're in London while Renoir and Love is at the National Gallery, don't rush through it. Step back to take in the whole painting, then move closer and notice the glances, hands and gestures.
Sometimes the most interesting story in a Renoir isn't happening in the center of the canvas.
Exhibition: Renoir and Love
Where: The National Gallery, London
Dates: October 3, 2026 – January 31, 2027
Tickets: £20–£25 for standard admission; free for under-18s and members.