Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Theatre Box by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Zuzanna Stańska 7 October 2018 min Read

Entertainments such as cabarets, theatres, and the circus were popular themes among the Impressionist painters whose mission was portraying modern city life. Theatre in Paris was a rapidly expanding industry during the 19th century where it was important to be seen. Hence it was also a perfect subject for a painter wanting to present a social vanity fair. 

Here we see Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s younger brother Edmond sitting in a theatre box with Nini Lopez, a model known as “fish-face”. Edmond uses a pair of opera glasses to scan the audience while Nini holds hers in her hand, her gaze slightly unfocused as if she knows she is being looked at by other operagoers.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir The Theatre Box: Pierre Auguste Renoir, La Loge (Theatre box), 1874, The Courtauld Gallery, London, UK.
Pierre Auguste Renoir, La Loge (Theatre box), 1874, The Courtauld Gallery, London, UK.

Edmond Renoir was a journalist and art critic and it’s hard to tell anything interesting about him (other than that he looks quite handsome in this painting). Yet there is more to tell about his companion: Nini Lopez was a frequent model for Renoir’s paintings, but this particular one was her first one. Known for being serious and punctual, the young woman became the artist’s favorite model between 1875 and 1879, appearing in at least 14 paintings. In 1877 Nini disappeared from Renoir’s painting following her marriage to a third-rate actor in the Montmartre theatre. Her mother was quite disappointed, as she preferred her daughter to marry someone from the bourgeoisie.

But back to the painting itself. Renoir was the ultimate painter of the pleasures of the eye. His art centered on the concept of art as something “chic”. A contemporary critic known as Bertall described “chic” as a

“bearing, ease of manner, appearance and impromptu elegance…”

This is what The Theatre Box captures with delicate brushstrokes and sensual tones.

The Theatre Box was included in the Impressionists’ first group exhibition in 1874. Critics were divided over it: one saw it as a warning of the dangerous temptations of the fashion industry; another praised its elegance. One thing is known for sure – this painting is a hymn to 19th-century French elegance.

Recommended

Beatriz Milhazes, Sonho Tropical, 2017, White Cube Gallery, London, UK. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Sonho Tropical by Beatriz Milhazes

Sonho Tropical is a visual feast of abstract art infused with the passion for a Brazilian landscape. Beatriz Milhazes fuses European modernity with...

James W Singer 13 March 2023

Aaron Douglas, Judgment Day, 1939, oil on tempered hardboard, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Judgement Day by Aaron Douglas

Judgment Day by Aaron Douglas is a masterpiece of Black history. It encapsulates the dynamic culture of the Harlem Renaissance through its striking...

James W Singer 27 February 2023

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City, 1885, White House, Washington DC, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City by Henry Ossawa Tanner

Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City is a masterpiece of Black art and history. It was painted by Henry Ossawa Tanner during a time of incredible...

James W Singer 13 February 2023

Ten Symbols of Longevity, Joseon Dynasty, ca 1866-1910, ink and color on silk, Ewha Womans University Museum, Seoul, South Korea. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Ten Symbols of Longevity

Ten Symbols of Longevity is a landscape masterpiece of Korean art. It is a beautiful world filled with earthly perfection and cosmic energy. The...

James W Singer 30 January 2023