Luncheon of the Boating Party, Renoir

Why is this painting famous?

The fame of Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir was built largely on its exhibition in 1882 at the Seventh Impressionist Exhibition in Paris, where it was received as one of the group’s most ambitious works. After decades in private collections, its acquisition in 1923 by Duncan Phillips made it the centerpiece of the Phillips Collection in Washington D.C., one of the first museums of modern art in the United States, which greatly boosted its international visibility. Its frequent inclusion in Renoir retrospectives and in traveling exhibitions at high-profile museums has multiplied its exposure. In addition, it regularly appears in publications and documentaries on Impressionism, and its status as the museum’s “star work” has made it one of the most photographed and promoted images in catalogues and educational materials, cementing its position as an icon of 19th-century French art. Discover more famous paintings