St David’s Day, the 1st of March, is often accompanied by a spell of mild weather, as if if to lull us into believing Spring had arrived. There are nearly always some very cold nights to follow just to check our enthusiasm. But, it is a time of year when we start to notice the…

Renoir painted three, almost life size, paintings of dance scenes early in 1883, for the art dealer, Paul Durand-Ruel. These paintings mark a change from the artists Impressionist leanings towards the more classical themes of David and Ingres. The third of these, which I have featured in my February “Painting of the Month” is Dance…

The Musée D’Orsay on the south bank of the Seine in Paris is home to my second painting of the month for February. Dance in the Country was also painted early in 1883. The artist claims the scene was inspired by his visit to Italy in 1881. It was during this visit that Renoir visited…

Renoir’s Dance paintings of 1883. I thought, for February, I would have three “Paintings of the Month”. My inspiration is Pierre Auguste Renoir, an artist I regularly turn to and his ‘dance’ paintings. My first choice is Dance at Bougival. If there was a painting that evokes great memories for me this is it. Not…