Two Little Girls 1890

Pierre-Auguste Renoir captured this scene of two young girls with oil on canvas sometime in the late 19th century. It's easy to see this as a charming glimpse into childhood, but let's consider the culture that produced it. Renoir was a leading figure in the Impressionist movement in France, which sought to represent modern life, often focusing on leisure and the middle class. But how ‘modern’ was it? Looking at the girls, we can ask: Who were they? Were they posed or candid? Are they of a certain class? How does this image reflect the societal expectations and roles of women at the time? To answer these questions, we can turn to sources of social history, such as photographs, journals, and fashion plates. By placing the painting within its specific historical context, we understand art not as existing in a vacuum, but as something shaped by and reflective of social and institutional forces.