Renoir at 185: A Commemorative Exhibition

【Exhibition Title】

Renoir at 185: A Commemorative Exhibition

【Venue】

Sanno Art Museum

3rd and 4th Floor Galleries

【Exhibition Period】

March 1 (Sun) – July 31 (Fri), 2026

【Opening Hours】

10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Last admission at 4:30 p.m.

【Closed】

Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Open on April 29, May 5, and May 6

【Admission】

Adults: ¥1,300

University & High School Students: ¥800

Junior High School Students and Younger: ¥500

Up to two children of junior high school age or younger may enter free when accompanied by a guardian.

Visitors presenting a disability certificate and one accompanying caregiver are admitted for ¥1,000.

【Overview】

“Perhaps Renoir was the only great painter who never once painted a sad picture.”

This remark was written by the French novelist Octave Mirbeau for a monograph on Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919) published in 1913. Renoir himself, in his later years, spoke of painting as something that must be “lovable,” “joyful, and beautiful,” especially in a life filled with hardships.

Over a career spanning some sixty years, Renoir explored a wide range of subjects—including portraits, landscapes, still lifes, family scenes, and nudes. What unites all of these works is the warmth and affection evident in his gaze. For Renoir, to live was to paint, and to paint was a source of profound joy.

Although he began his career within the avant-garde circle of the Impressionists, Renoir continually learned from artistic tradition and pursued painting with unwavering curiosity. This exhibition, commemorating the 185th anniversary of his birth, presents approximately fifty works from the Sanno Art Museum collection, offering insight into one facet of his artistic achievement.

We invite you to experience Renoir’s world, filled with light, color, and the joy of life.