Joyful Exuberance and Camaraderie, Paris on a Sunday afternoon by Pierre Auguste Renoir

Bal du moulin de la Galette by Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1876

Impressionism, oil on canvas, 131 cm x 175 cm

Working-class and student Parisians at leisure on a sunny Sunday afternoon. A scene of joyful exuberance and camaraderie. Artists, companions, couples, friends, wives and lovers engage in swirling carefree, frolicsome dancing in an open-air space fringed with benches, tables and chairs.

Imagine the scene, the delightful sounds of music, chattering conversations, laughter, the sound of clinking glasses, the wafting aroma of Parisian cuisine and perfumes competing with tobacco smoke and alcohol. Picture the contrasts of sunlight and shadow, the dappled, dancing, flickering light through shading tree branches and leaves. The people dance, the light dances and gaiety abound. A moment of delight and contentment.

We all need to take advantage of simple pleasures to unwind and de-stress, to bring some relief, contentment, joy and happiness.

TALKING ART with Artist Paul Woods, for people with an interest in developing their love of looking at art. LOVE ART; LOVE LIFE paulfwoods7@outlook.com