Leaving the Conservatory 1876 - 1877

Curator: This is "Leaving the Conservatory", a painting rendered in oil on canvas by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, circa 1876-1877. Editor: Ah, it’s wonderfully murky. A kind of hushed feeling, like they’re all holding their breath a little. You know, you can almost hear the rustling of their fancy clothes as they sort of mill about. Curator: Notice the calculated application of brushstrokes, contributing to an overall sense of movement, yet subtly capturing the rigid social atmosphere of the period. The hazy technique diminishes clear figural contours, allowing a study in tone. Editor: I'm just struck by the colors, that cool blue, almost melting into the greys of the background. It feels so melancholy somehow. Do you get that, the sense of longing? Or maybe just mild boredom after a concert. Curator: The arrangement of figures guides our attention. Consider the male figure with his turned back and the light reflecting, pulling our gaze in concert with the line of the buildings at the figures facing towards each other. It draws you right into the emotional centre, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Well, emotional maybe a little strong. But definitely creates a lovely interplay. You notice the way he contrasts the light fabric of the women's clothes against the dark coats of the men in the background. You think, were women treated almost like beautiful dolls on display? A way for the wealthy gentlemen to display their refinement. It all comes through just in those brushstrokes. Curator: One reads not a statement of wealth or luxury here, I suggest that these are details contributing to an examination of leisure. The painting’s interest lies in how it shows a departure from formality through subtle gradations of colour, capturing figures within the public spectacle. Editor: True enough. And look how he makes the city almost vanish into thin air... almost like a dream. These ghostly pale faces, looking for a meaning of their own. Lovely work, all in all. Curator: Agreed, the structural coherence married with the softening light and brushwork certainly makes for a resonant artwork.