It’s brave to admire Renoir because he’s almost a cancelled artist these days

Waldemar Januszczak | Waldemar.tv | 19th October 2026

A recent review of the Renoir show now in London gave a positive take on this artist. It seems only fair to hear the other side. This show is a “cocky” attempt to position the artist positively – that he was “uncouth but truthful”. His early work has “spectacular painterly qualities”, his quick hands capturing the sway of dancing couples and “the rush of love”. But the show stops at 1885, when Renoir still has decades of life left. It’s a wise decision – “Renoir the fierce misogynist is held back from the fray”.