A chance to view Renoir’s genius up close

Leading French impressionist painter Renoir visited for a month in 1883 and worked on 15 paintings which mostly depict Moulin Huet.

Curated by Art for Guernsey, the free exhibition Through the Eyes of a Master celebrates the artist’s ties to the island and follows from previous projects to install the Renoir Walk and purchase the original piece.

‘The team has worked incredibly hard over the last few months to prepare this exhibition. We are aiming to create a very special and joyful event for islanders, including our school students, to engage with an artwork of unique significance for Guernsey,’ said David Ummels, Art for Guernsey founder.

Art for Guernsey invites internationally-renowned artists to the island, lends schools museum-quality artwork for multidisciplinary study, and supports local artists.

Disability Alliance members have exclusive access on the first day to the fully-accessibly exhibition.

‘We are incredibly proud to have engaged with the Disability Alliance. It has been one of our key goals to deliver an individually curated experience for them and to create the opportunity to access art and culture in the best possible conditions, to rebuild their confidence and re-engage in public life after what for many of them has been a long period of isolation.

‘Most importantly, we want everybody on the island to feel welcome,’ Mr Ummels said.

Artworks produced by alliance members during lockdown will be showcased at a satellite exhibition at the Ron Short Centre.

Renoir’s connection to Guernsey was made into a permanent attraction in 2019, when Art for Guernsey installed the Renoir Walk around Moulin Huet.

Around that time Cyrille Sciama, Misée des Impressionismes Giverny director and world-renowned art curator, told the team Renoir’s stay in Guernsey signified a turning point in his career.

Resultantly the charitable initiative formed a group of local art collectors to acquire one of his five remaining privately-owned Guernsey pieces – Rochers de Guernesey avec personnages (plage à Guernesey).

After 137 years the piece has returned to where it was first conceived, and the team are excited to share this important part of Guernsey’s artistic heritage.

Major museum collections own the remaining 10, including the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the London National Gallery and Paris Musée d’Orsay.

Exhibition visitors can learn about Renoir and how his time in Guernsey re-directed his artwork through videos and information panels.

Currently, information on his inspiration here is not well-documented by art historians, and investigations will continue for at least three years.

n Opening hours are 9am until 9pm daily, except Sunday 4 October when it closes at 4pm.