Thursday, December 12, 6 – 7pm
Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The Source (detail), 1875. The Barnes Foundation, BF908. Public Domain.
On-site $10; online $8; members and students free
About the Talk
Martha Lucy | “Renoir’s La Source and the Politics of Flesh”
When Renoir first exhibited this impressionist painting showing a scantily clad woman near a spray of water, Parisian audiences were outraged. It wasn’t just the erotic subject that ruffled feathers; it was also the way he had painted the flesh. This talk by Barnes deputy director Martha Lucy explores just what was so provocative about Renoir’s treatment of the body’s surface in 1875, and why flesh became such a central preoccupation for the artist during the next four decades.
This lecture is part of our Impressionism at the Barnes series celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first impressionist exhibition in Paris in 1874. Each talk highlights an impressionist (or neo-impressionist) artist in the Barnes collection, detailing their importance in the history of modern art and uncovering what made their work so radical to 19th-century audiences. Don’t miss André Dombrowski on Monet Painting on Water and Michelle Foa on Seurat at the Barnes.
About the Speaker
Martha Lucy
Lucy is the deputy director for research, interpretation and education at the Barnes. As an art historian, she specializes in modern European art and visual culture. She is the coauthor of Renoir in the Barnes Foundation and has published articles and essays on topics ranging from the early charcoals of Odilon Redon to contemporary installation art.
Go Further
Lecture: André Dombrowski on Monet Painting on Water
This talk, part of our Impressionism at the Barnes lecture series, considers Monet’s innovative treatment of water.
Curators in Conversation: Mickalene Thomas: All About Love
This engaging conversation on Mickalene Thomas features exhibition curator Renée Mussai and Barnes chief curator Nancy Ireson.
In Focus Gallery Talk: Mickalene Thomas: All About Love
An in-depth discussion about Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe: Les Trois Femmes Noires with Emma Nell Jacobs. Free with admission; Roberts Gallery