Luncheon of the Boating Party
"The Phillips Memorial Gallery is to be the possessor of one of the greatest paintings in the world…Its fame is tremendous and people will travel thousands of miles to our house to see it...Such a picture creates a sensation wherever it goes." – Duncan Phillips, 1923
Duncan Phillips, founder of The Phillips Collection, was inspired by his acquisition of Renoir’s major 1880-81 work, Luncheon of the Boating Party (or Le Déjeuner des Canotiers) in 1923. For Phillips and his wife Marjorie, the art they amassed and put on display for the public to view in their own home in Washington, D.C. was personal. After seeing the painting in New York, the Phillips approached the family of a Parisian art dealer, Paul Durand-Ruel, who were considering selling the painting. Durand-Ruel had put the full force of his career and fortune behind the Impressionists and played an integral role in their arc from obscurity in France to international renown. By the time of his death, when Durand-Ruel’s sons sold the painting to Phillips for $125,000 (the largest sum paid for a Renoir at that time), it had been in the family collection for over 40 years.
Who’s Who
Renoir’s scene reflects the changing character of French society in the late 19th century. At Maison Fournaise, people from all walks of life could eat, drink and converse: artists, actors, businessmen, society ladies and working class men and women. The woman lovingly cooing at the dog in the foreground is Aline Charigot, a seamstress Renoir would eventually marry. Across the table from her is the profile of fellow artist and close friend, Gustave Caillebotte. In all there are 13 recognizable figures.
For a full list of who’s who, check out The Phillips Collection website.
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Renoir’s masterpiece was to become the cornerstone of what Phillips called "a museum of modern art and its sources." Today, The Phillips Collection contains over 3,000 works of art and is internationally known among art lovers for its intimate atmosphere, its fine permanent collection and, most of all, Renoir's exuberant painting of his friends, poised in posterity, relaxing by the Seine.