Pierre-Auguste Renoir created the original Barges-on-the-Seine around 1870 while he was living at Asnières-sur-Seine which was a Parisian commune north west of the French capital: A place made famous by artists’ such as Renoir, Seurat and Van Gogh – All of whom created some of the most notable late nineteenth century artworks around this area and along the river Seine. This is among Renoir’s earliest works: A time when Renoir had experienced some success within the Paris salon. However, his experimentation with light and color dictated he would not receive any notable recognition for his art which would be rejected more than accepted by the Salon.

This experimentation had begun after studying with Charles Gleyre in Paris along with his fellow contemporaries Sisley, Bazille and Monet. Some say that Renoir was the ultimate ‘representative of a tradition which runs directly from Rubens to Watteau’. The reason for this can be seen within this oil painting. The reproduction we offer recaptures the landscape as it was seen through Renoir’s eyes: As it is seen here. Among his early works the style remains primarily representational and the brushwork is smoother. However, we can see the artist’s first experimentation with light and how it affects the mood and color of the landscape. We can also see the artist’s first experimentation with more individualized brushstrokes which place saturated colors at juxtapositions as opposed to blending: Although as said, this is a long way from the broad and short strokes the artist would apply in his later works. This is an interesting painting that reveals an artist who is at a turning point in his development: It would make an interesting addition to any Impressionist collection.