Dancing Girl with Castanets
- Artist: Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Date: 1909
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the "Dancing Girl with Castanets" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Painted in 1909, it's an oil on canvas piece that showcases Renoir's ability to capture movement and energy.
Notice how the dancer's foot is raised, and Renoir has created a sinuous line up through her leg and arms to suggest her turns and twists as she clacks the castanets. The way the edges of her sheer, shimmering costume blur into the vibrant colours of the background also enhances the impression of movement.
Renoir used two different models for this painting: Georgette Pigeot for the body of the dancer, and Gabrielle Renard for the head. Renoir's use of modelled poses was a deliberate choice to create a sense of spontaneity in his paintings. The costume on this dancer is particularly interesting - it combines elements of oriental or near-Eastern style with red flowers in her hair that are reminiscent of Spain, reflecting Renoir's fascination with different cultures and traditions.
The painting was actually made to decorate the dining room of one of Renoir's important clients, Maurice Gangnat, which adds an extra layer of context to this beautiful piece.
See it in person
Dancing Girl with Castanets hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
