I knew little about this Renoir painting. Well, to be honest, I knew little about Renoir or fine arts... I guess whatever I learned in school had been forgotten.

A fictionalized account of August Pierre Renoir and one of his most famous works depicting a gathering of his friends enjoying a summer Sunday on a café terrace along the Seine, it captures the French society in the 1880s vividly. I originally picked up this title from a bookbox, planning to gift it to a Francophile BCer. I ended up liking it so much after reading it, when I found a copy of it, I decide to use this for my Best of 2010 swap. The story is so nicely written, you don't have to be a Francophile or fan of historical fiction to like it. I enjoyed feeling that I was there to witness the birth of a masterpiece, from its conception to difficult pregnancy to birth. I don't think I have read a book where I flipped the book to see the cover as much as this one.

In the beginning I kept wondering which book character is who in the painting, and towards the end, they are seem so real to me I can picture them scretching from their poses after the sitting and continue on with their lives. As I write this now, I am looking at the cover, and each character comes alive to me again. The book also gives me a better understanding of impressionism and piques my interest in other works mentioned. Kind of wish it includes an appendix showing all the paintings referred.

Hi zzz, I am glad you are interested in my book. : ) It doesn't happen too often.
I had hoped to see the real painting when I went to Washington DC and to include a postcard of the painting with this book. Alas, that didn't happen because my husband didn't like the idea of spending time in an art museum.
And oh, Belated Happy Birthday! Hope the gift arrives in one piece and you like it.

Oh what a surprise! Thank you so much! The cup is absolutely... well perfect I guess :)
And again lovely booklabel. I like Alphonse Mucha as well :)