Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Le déjeuner des canotiers (Luncheon of the Boating Party) wowed the critics at the Seventh Impressionist Exhibition in 1882 and remains one of the greats of Impressionism. It depicts a convivial bunch of diners enjoying a summertime meal alfresco at the Maison Fournaise, overlooking the Seine on the Île de Chatou, just west of Paris. This is the heart of Impressionist leisure land, and to this day the restaurant exists, on what is now dubbed L’île des Impressionnistes.

The diners are all friends or colleagues of Renoir. In the foreground, seated lower-right, is his fellow artist Gustave Caillebotte, who is gazing at Renoir’s future wife, seamstress Aline Charigot, sitting opposite and cooing at her dog. Next to Caillebotte is actress Angèle Legault and, standing above her, Italian journalist Adrien Maggiolo. At the back, wearing a top hat, art historian and collector Charles Ephrussi speaks with poet and critic, Jules Laforgue.

Leaning against the railing are Louise-Alphonsine Fournaise, the daughter of the restaurant’s proprietor, and her brother, Alphonse Fournaise Jr, who handled the boat rentals. Rowing was the main attraction at Chatou, and Renoir’s diners wear the straw hats and blue dresses that were the fashionable boating attire of middle-class Parisian daytrippers.

Renoir spent months making numerous changes to his canvas, painting the individual figures when his models were available (there is correspondence from Renoir moaning about models failing to turn up). Nonetheless, Renoir captures the freshness of his vision splendidly, and we can allow ourselves to be fooled that he has spontaneously captured a moment in time. It is a vibrant work of art celebrating good company and good dining, and it certainly gives us the impression of a very pleasant and carefree afternoon.

Details of the party-goers