“The Theater Box” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

“The Theater Box” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, also knew by its French name “La Loge,” shows a couple in their theater box.

The theater in Paris at the time of this painting was a rapidly expanding form of entertainment and culture.

The theater was a prominent place to meet people and to be seen. Wealth and fashion were on parade. In this painting, Renoir focused upon the theater scene as a social stage where status and relationships were on public display.

Central to this painting is the blue eyes of the elegantly dressed woman. She has lowered her opera glasses, revealing herself to the audience.

The gentleman is hidden by his over-sized opera glasses, focusing his gaze elsewhere.

The models for this painting were Renoir’s brother Edmund and Nini Lopez, a model from Montmartre.

Edmund wears formal attire, which was typical of the gentlemen’s evening attire worn for the theaters. Nini models a fashionable ensemble that was worn for the opening night performances.

Renoir’s paintings are notable for their light and color, and the warm sensuality of Renoir’s style made his paintings some of the most famous works in the history of art.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, commonly known as Auguste Renoir, was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style.

As a celebrator of beauty and especially feminine sensuality. He was a prolific artist, having created several thousand paintings.

The warm sensuality of Renoir’s style made his paintings some of the most well-known and often reproduced works in the history of art.

The Theater Box

• Title:               The Theater Box
• Français:         La loge
• Deutsch:         Die Loge (Die Orchesterloge)
• Artist:             Pierre-Auguste Renoir
• Date:              1874
• Medium:        Oil on canvas
• Dimensions:   127 × 92 cm (50 × 36.2 in)
• Museum:        Courtauld Gallery

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

• Name:          Pierre-Auguste Renoir
• Born:            1841 – Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France
• Died:            1919 (aged 78) – Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France
• Nationality:   French
• Movement:   Impressionism
• Famous Paintings:
  • Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette
  • Dance at Bougival
  • The Large Bathers
  • The Theater Box
  • Collette’s House in Cagnes
  • Luncheon of the Boating Party
  • In Summer
  • Country Dance
  • Two Sisters
  • Portrait of Misia Godebska-Sert
  • Pierre-Auguste Renoir
  • La Grenouillère (Nationalmuseum)
  • La Grenouillère
  • Claude Monet Painting in His Garden at Argenteuil

A Tour of the Courtauld Gallery

• “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère” by Édouard Manet
• “The Customs Post” by Henri Rousseau
• “The Theater Box” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
• “The Card Players” by Paul Cézanne
• “Seated Nude” by Amedeo Modigliani

Renoir’s La Loge

Renoir at the Theatre: Looking at La Loge

Renoir, La Loge

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“The pain passes, but the beauty remains.”
– Pierre-Auguste Renoir

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Photo Credit 1) Pierre-Auguste Renoir [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons