Pont Neuf, Paris
by Auguste Renoir
Courtesy National Gallery of Art,
Washington
Question
What did the artist most likely do to create this piece of art?
(1 point)
Responses
had no prior knowledge of perspective
had no prior knowledge of perspective
investigated the scenery before painting it
investigated the scenery before painting it
chose the colors that were pleasing rather than accurate
chose the colors that were pleasing rather than accurate
omitted the use of proportion to keep the image interesting
1 answer
The artist most likely "investigated the scenery before painting it." Impressionist artists like Auguste Renoir were known for their desire to capture the effects of light and atmosphere. They often painted en plein air (outdoors) and closely observed their subjects in their natural settings. While Renoir and his contemporaries often used colors in ways that pleased the eye and sought to capture the impression of a scene rather than create an exact replication, they still typically had an understanding of perspective and proportion and used them to create a believable space, even if not strictly adhering to photorealistic depiction.