European Painting before 1900, Johnson Collection Water Made in France, EuropeModeled in clay and cast in bronze, 1914-16 Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French, 1841 - 1919 Bronze Currently not on view 1963-181-100 The Louis E. Stern Collection, 1963 |
LabelChoosing for once not to work from existing paintings, Renoir and Guino created two sculptures: a pendant pair meant to embody the elements of fire and water. Modeled as an everyday figure, but in a classical spirit, the personification of water is a washerwoman rinsing her laundry, while a shepherd tending a brazier represents fire. Only Water became a large-scale work. In these statues, modeled by Guino according to Renoir's instructions, monumentality and directness unite in surfaces that attract light and allow a lively, sensual finish. |
