Beginning of Career
Portrait of Lise Trehot by Renoir
Renoir won acceptance to the annual Paris salon exhibit in 1864. There his painting "La Esmeralda" was exhibited. The painting was inspired by a character from Victor Hugo's "Notre-Dame de Paris." Around this time he met a 16 year old girl named Lise Trehot who attracted him because of her dark features and rounded figure. Lise became Renoir's favourite model and mistress, more that 20 paintings of her were done between 1865 and 1872 by Renoir.