Bal du moulin de la Galette

French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted this Bal du moulin de la Galette in 1876, capturing a Sunday afternoon dance at a popular outdoor venue in Montmartre. The scene shows Parisians dancing, drinking, and socializing under acacia trees, with dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves and creating patterns on figures and floor.

Renoir worked on the large canvas partly outdoors, having friends carry it to the site daily. He depicted actual friends and models among the crowd, including painter Georges Rivière at the foreground table. The painting demonstrates Impressionism's interest in modern leisure, fleeting light, and spontaneous moments.

The canvas measures over two meters wide, ambitious for an outdoor scene. Renoir exhibited it at the third Impressionist exhibition in 1877, where critics praised its joyful atmosphere. It now hangs at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. A smaller version sold at Sotheby's in 1990 for $78.1 million.