Another crowd-pleaser lined up for the end of 2009. After the Warhol and Picasso exhibitions, now it’s Renoir who’ll be drawing (and wowing) the crowds at the Grand Palais…

Organised by the Réunion des musées nationaux, the Musée d’Orsay and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in collaboration with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Renoir in the 20th Century exhibition is sure to be the biggest popular art even for the end of 2009 before leaving to be shown in Los Angeles and Philadelphia.

One of the most popular and well know impressionist painters, the exhibition will concentrate on the painter’s later year, especially interesting as there have been no studies or exhibitions focusing specifically on them, as has been the case for Monet or Cezanne.

Bringing together about a hundred of Renoir’s paintings, drawings and sculptures, from public and private collections all over the world, the idea is to to explore a period and aspects of Renoir’s work which are little known to the public (decorative painting, drawings, sculpture…) while demonstrating his influence on other artists in France in the first half of the twentieth century.

And for those of you who understand French, there are a number of (mostly free) events like conferences et meet ‘n’ greets, readings, a cycle de films certain Fridays at midday, other films at various different times and a kids workshop (10 €).

It’s also the perfect occasion for the organisers to try and sell you the 2010 Renoir calendar (15€), the Bal au Moulin de la Galette pendant (40€), Renoir greetings cards Renoir posters (obviously), etc. etc.

As the number of people attending will be huge, you really should try and book your ticket as early as possible, on this site for example (you’ll need a little French).

The Renoir in the 20th Century exhibition is at the national galleries of the Grand Palais (map here) from 23rd September 2009 – 4th January 2010, every day except Tuesdays from 9.30am – 10pm (8pm Thursdays). Exceptionally open on the following Tuesdays: 27th October, 3rd November, 22nd & 29th December. Closed 25th December. Admission 12€/9€. Free for under-13s and on the night of 3rd October from 7.30pm onwards.

Official exhibition site here.