When Pierre-Auguste Renoir first exhibited In the Summer in 1869 at the Paris Salon, critics were startled by its radical brushwork and the intimate immediacy of its subject. The painting is widely recognized as one of the earliest examples of Renoir’s growing break with academic tradition, foreshadowing the birth of Impressionism. Its model, Lise Tréhot, was not only the artist’s muse but also his companion, appearing in over twenty of his works during the late 1860s.

The painting’s loose, visible strokes and sun-dappled light drew both praise and confusion from contemporary viewers, who were unaccustomed to such candid depictions in portraiture. The scene captures a young woman, Lise, seated in a garden or perhaps by an open window, her gaze turned slightly away from the viewer as if caught in a moment of private reverie. Her white dress, rendered with quick, fluid strokes, seems to dissolve into the sunlit background, while the warmth of her flushed cheeks and the softness of her features suggest both the heat of summer and the intimacy of the setting. The black ribbon at her neck and the dark foliage behind her set off the luminous quality of her skin, a contrast that draws the eye to her thoughtful expression.

Unlike the formal, polished portraits of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Renoir’s approach here is spontaneous, almost conversational, inviting the viewer into the sitter’s world rather than holding them at a respectful distance. The exact provenance of In the Summer is not fully documented, but it is known to have remained in private collections for many years before entering public view. Its exhibition at the Salon marked a turning point for Renoir, who was still struggling for recognition and financial stability at the time. The painting’s bold technique and modern sensibility would soon become hallmarks of the Impressionist movement, which Renoir helped to define.

Today, In the Summer is celebrated as an early milestone in his career, a glimpse of the innovations that would soon transform French painting.