The Theatre Box

The Theatre Box depicts a young couple in a box at the Paris theatre. The woman was modelled by Nini Lopez, Renoir's new model who would feature in fourteen of his paintings over the next few years. The man was his brother Edmond, a journalist and art critic. Going to the theatre was as much about being seen as watching the performance and whilst the woman is making her presence obvious, her companion is scanning the audience through his opera-glasses.

This painting is the work that made Renoir famous. The color method of black and white makes us naturally recall the art style of Edouard Manet . The thick black lines depict the rich posture of the women, which forms a strong color contrast with her white and soft skin. This painting lays the foundation of Renoir's beautiful artistic style.