PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (1841-1919) was born in Limoges, the son of a tailor who moved with his family to Paris when Renoir was a young child. His early ambition was to become a decorator of porcelain but, finding himself at the hub of the art world, he became a student at the Gleyre Academy where he made the acquaintance of Monet, Bazille and Sisley and where his career was redirected to painting. He had already attained some measure of success before he exhibited with them in the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874 when he was aged 33.

His career was furthered by his early success as a portrait-painter but it was as a painter of la vie Parisenne, of the bars and theatres of the capital, of the Seine and ultimately, of the female form that he is best known.

Later he ventured further afield to the South of France, working for a time with Cézanne where they painted similar subjects such as Mont Sainte-Victoire together. He also visited Algeria and Venice, through which he enlarged the range of his work.
Later in his life he turned his attention to sculpture despite suffering crippling arthritis in his hands and wrists. In spite of al this, Renoir continued to paint almost until the day he died.