Renoir in 1885, after his turn away from Impressionism
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In Cagnes, friends, family and servants were his models, dressed and undressed. That's the second of his three sons in the life-size portrait Jean as a Huntsman, striking an aristocratic pose borrowed from Velázquez. At age 16, he looks as if he knows he'll grow up to be one of the greatest of all filmmakers, the director of classics like The Grand Illusion and Rules of the Game. During the run of this show, LACMA has scheduled a Jean Renoir film festival. You can schedule one at home to decide for yourself who was the greater genius in this family. If it weren't for Dad's Impressionist years, my money would be on Junior.