Reclining Nude

1881

Algeria, Madrid, Italy

Renoir traveled to Algeria, the land of Delacroix, then to Madrid to see the works of Velázquez, and to Italy, where he saw Titian in Florence and Raphael in Rome. The journey convinced him that with Impressionism he had "reached the limit," and turned him toward classicism.

6 July 1881

Daughter born: Lucienne Bisson

1882

Pneumonia

Renoir suffered a bout of pneumonia that permanently damaged his respiratory system, and spent six weeks convalescing in Algeria.

15 January 1882

Portrait of Wagner in 35 minutes

In Palermo Renoir met the composer Richard Wagner and painted his portrait in just thirty-five minutes.

summer 1883

Summer on Guernsey

Renoir spent the summer on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel, producing fifteen paintings in little more than a month; most depict Moulin Huet Bay.

1883–1890

The "Ingres" period

Impressed by the classics of the Italian Renaissance and by Ingres, Renoir effectively broke with Impressionism: his lines became crisp, his colors more restrained and cooler. The artist himself called this period "sour"; it includes "Dance in the Country," "Dance in the City" and "Dance at Bougival."