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Renoir at the TheatrePhilip Fisher visits the exhibition Renoir at the Theatre at the Courtauld GalleryDateline: 9th March, 2008Anybody visiting the National Theatre (or for that matter Dirty Dancing or In the Hoods) would be well advised to allow a little extra time to pop into the Courtauld Gallery, which is part of Somerset House five minutes away at the other end of Waterloo Bridge. The Courtauld is a charming, small art gallery with strong representation from the Impressionists. Until 25th May, they also have an exhibition of particular interest to theatregoers, based around Pierre-Auguste Renoir's La Loge, a painting that is owned by the Institute. The curators have put together a series of paintings picking up on the theme of loges or, in English, theatre boxes. These days, unless you are a member of royalty, the last thing you want is to sit in a box, right on the edge of the theatre with a severely restricted view. In 1874, when Renoir painted La Loge, these seats were the most highly prized, allowing one to be seen and admired but also in many theatres, to have a great view of the performance as well. In those days, there may well have been a whole tier of boxes as there are in opera houses today. Indeed, with corporate entertaining becoming such big business it may only be a matter of time before theatres copy sports stadia and replace one of their circles with premium price boxes. The central piece is not only beautifully painted in characteristic colours but also telling, in that it features a Renoir beauty enjoying the spectacle, while her bearded husband has his opera glasses trained on some distant part of the audience. There is a series of other paintings by Renoir on the same subject, drawn from galleries around the world but, in addition, some tremendous works by some of his contemporaries: Mary Cassatt, the pick of which is the colourful Woman with a Pearl Necklace in a Loge and Edgar Dégas who is more interested in the ornate gold of the building than its inhabitants. Others featured include a frolicsome Gustave Doré and Honoré Daumier. The oils are complemented by many drawings and prints, with humour not forgotten thanks to a series of Punch-style cartoons from the period. This is a small exhibition that will not take up too much time and is priced at only £5. In other words, it is a perfect curtain raiser to get one in the mood for a theatrical afternoon or evening. For those with a little longer to spare, but still paid for by that fiver, the gallery has much more on show. This bequest includes a series of unforgettable Impressionist paintings such as several other Renoirs and examples from Manet, Monet, Cezanne and Seurat; as well as both older and newer works including a couple of fantastic van Goghs, a characteristic Rubens and a room of Matisses. Together, the relatively unknown collection will enrich an empty hour or so. Philip Fisher
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