Why it matters
Nude women bathe by the water, one about to splash another who leans back to avoid it. Painted in 1884–1887 after a trip to Italy, it marks Renoir's move towards a more disciplined, conventional style, with the female nude as his main subject.
Did you know?
- It was partly inspired by a relief by François Girardon at Versailles.
- Raphael's frescoes and Ingres influenced the style.
- The crossed legs of the foreground bathers echo Boucher's Diana Bathing.
Based on the Wikipedia article Les Grandes Baigneuses (Renoir) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
