Born at Limoges, Renoir began painting ceramics at 13, and it has been thought that his later work retained something of the facile decorative techniques of the 18th century and the charm of Boucher's coloring. Friends with Monet, Sisley and Bazille, Renoir was a leading Impressionist. He exhibited at both the Salon and four of the Impressionists exhibitions.
Renoir introduced the theory of the "rainbow palette," brilliant pure tones with no black. The human figure played a more dominant role in his painting than that of his colleagues. He combined the enchantment of natural loveliness of women, children, flowers, and landscapes with the allure of vibrant pigments.
