Versailles

• Auguste Renoir (1841–1919)
• 1900–1905
• Oil on canvas
• Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
• (1975.1.202)

Late in his career, Auguste Renoir painted the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, built by Louis XIV in the seventeenth century. From a vantage point overlooking the grounds, he depicted a chestnut-lined allée in vivid autumn colors and a fountain surrounded by sculptures. The marble and bronze figures stand in for visitors to the garden, recalling Renoir’s own experiments with sculpture. The canvas is filled with rich, varied colors and soft brushstrokes characteristic of Impressionism.