The Good Life: Alexandre Renoir

It’s not every day that an opportunity to take a private art lesson from an instructor with bona fide bloodlines to famed French Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir presents itself.

By

Share

Artistic Inspiration—The Peninsula Beverly Hills paints the town—with artist Alexandre Renoir

The Peninsula Beverly Hills, which dreamed up this very scenario for the Peninsula Academy—its experiential collection of curated excursions—is not exactly in the business of the “every day.”

Dubbed “An Afternoon with Renoir in Beverly Hills: An Artful Immersion,” this crown jewel of Academy offerings features artist Alexandre Renoir, of the Renoirs, one of the most celebrated clans in all of France. As the great-grandson of an art-world master, the contemporary Renoir is a master-in-the-making, having been born into the family business (film auteur Jean Renoir is also a relative), but not trading on its name to make his way. Now, through the Peninsula Academy experience he currently fronts, Renoir reveals his artistic side to the aspirational few.

The immersion begins at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, where the hotel’s luxury car collects, then chauffeurs, guests to Ace Gallery for a private tour before the group saunters a short block to Revolver for another.  From there, it’s off to Galerie Michael on Rodeo Drive, where Renoir shows his work in the gallery, and then applies his savoir-faire to a discussion of painting and drawing basics.

“In an art lesson with me, the number-one thing to take away is fun,” says Renoir,  remarking on his instructional style. “It’s more about exploring what piques your interest and how to convey that onto a canvas than it is about how well a guest takes instruction.” The aim, he says, is to “coax out” creativity and artistic ability already present. Then, it’s back to the Peninsula for Afternoon Tea with  Renoir in The Living Room, which stirs conversation about art and the artist’s famous forebears.

Overall, “What I hope guests take away from an experience like this is that art, for all of its antiquity and noble expression, is still something that comes from within,” Renoir offers. “That it’s something that stems from life and from people… everyone with a creative spark has an expression to make.”

To art lovers innately curious but inevitably intimidated about expanding their artistic horizons in the presence of an instructor with the last name Renoir,  he recommends taking the “do it for yourself” approach, citing the once criticized now highly celebrated van Gogh as an example of gumption leading to glory.  “Just to be a little cliché—even a journey of 1000 miles starts with one step,” reminds Renoir. A good lesson, indeed.

$12,000 per person, BeverlyHills.Peninsula.com

Photography Courtesy of the Peninsula Beverly Hills

RELATED TAGS

The Bureau: Collaboration at Its Best

The Bureau, a California-based design studio led by Sarah Giesenhagen, crafted an immersive 5,500-square-foot glass pavilion at Caymus-Suisun winery, showcasing their dedication to collaborating with local artists. The pavilion, located in an up-and-coming wine destination near Napa Valley, features custom-made pieces by over 30 creatives, blending art and architecture with nature.
  • September 18, 2024
  • Karine Monié

Living the Dream: How George Fotion Became the Go-To Realtor for Palos Verdes Homes

Learn the story behind Palos Verdes' real estate legend, George Fotion, whose 43-year journey from a Midwestern transplant to the premier realtor is filled with determination, innovation, and a deep love for the community. From navigating challenging market conditions to embracing the digital age, George's commitment to his clients shines through in his unparalleled communication and transparency.
  • March 15, 2024
  • DIGS

Vincent Van Duysen: Redefines Minimalist Design

Architect Vincent Van Duysen adds another honest intervention to his repertoire of understated designs with his tour to de force transformation of a 19th century convent into an urban hotel.
  • August 21, 2024
  • Jenn Thornton

Schenkar Luxury Homes: Cutting-edge Sustainability in Scenic Guatapé

Built by Schenkar Luxury Homes, this stunning house in Guatapé, Colombia, showcases innovative design harmonized with the natural landscape. Founder Alex Schenkar, with almost two decades of experience, created a sustainable, erosion-resistant home cantilevered over a 55-degree cliff.
  • May 29, 2024
  • Karine Monié

Clayton Korte: Going Underground

Wine, from its earliest days, required the storage of its age, with solutions both inelegant and sophisticated. The Egyptians had mud-bricked and limestone cellars, the Romans fumitories and catacombs, the Italian's damigiana.
  • May 15, 2024
  • Jenn Thornton

Rock Formation: OPEN Architecture’s Chapel of Sound

Located in rural Chengde, China, at the base of a valley with ruins of the Great Wall, the almost alien-looking performance venue Chapel of Sound, which hosts concerts in warmer climes and contemplation year-round, is an architectural opus by Beijing-based OPEN Architecture.
  • May 1, 2024
  • Jenn Thornton
Sign Up for DIGS Newsletters