Member-only story
How an Act of Karma Spared Renoir's Life
A chance meeting that ended up saving the artist’s life
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was one of the most famous artists of the early 20th century. He was a founding member of the Impressionist movement and was a source of inspiration for future painters such as Pablo Picasso. His paintings have sold for millions, but if not for a chance meeting, the world would have been deprived of his great talents before he had the opportunity to show them to the world.
Was it good karma that spared his life? Or just fate? Whether you believe in karma or not, the tale of how a convicted anarchist saved Renoir's life is an interesting one.
His early life
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born on February 25, 1841, in Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France, into a working-class family. From an early age, he had artistic talents, painting designs on china in a porcelain factory while only thirteen years old. He painted hangings for overseas missionaries and also spent his spare time studying the French Masters on display at the Louvre.
In 1862, he decided to expand on his talents by enrolling in art school. He began studying art under Charles Gleyre where he met artists such as Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille, with whom he formed a close friendship…
