Landscape Banks of the River 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted this oil on canvas, entitled 'Landscape Banks of the River', sometime during his career. Here we see a scene of leisure, but it's one that's carefully constructed to reflect a certain social class. The lone figure with the parasol suggests a world of cultivated ease, hinting at the social conditions that made such leisure possible. What is the relationship between the artist and his subject? Is Renoir celebrating the delights of the French countryside, or is he offering a subtle commentary on the social divisions of his time? To fully understand this artwork, we need to delve into the social and economic history of France in the 19th century. Art historians often consult a wide range of sources, from exhibition reviews to personal letters, to reconstruct the cultural context in which an artwork was created and displayed. Only then can we begin to grasp the complex interplay between art and society.