One of my lifes heroes is the greatest of all artists Renoir.

Suffering from severe Rheumatoid Arthritis In 1904, Renoir weighed only 105 pounds and was barely able to sit. By 1910 he could not even walk using crutches and became a prisoner in his wheelchair. His hands were completely deformed, like claws of a bird. A gauze bandage was used to prevent his fingernails from growing into the flesh. Renoir was unable to pick up a paintbrush at this point and it had to be wedged between his fingers. Yet he continued to paint everyday.


"One must from time to time attempt things that are beyond one's capacity." ~ Pierre-Auguste Renoir

There were episodes when Renoir was completely paralyzed. He would allow the attack to subside, then continue where he left off at his easel. Renoir had an easel where each canvas could be rolled up like a woven product in a loom. Therefore he could cope with larger formats even though he had to sit in his wheelchair and could only move his arm in short, sudden motions to thrust the paintbrush forward. Renoir said once to an art dealer who was observing him paint, "You see, you don't even need a hand for painting!"

In 1912, another attack of rheumatoid arthritis left Renoir's arms paralyzed and left him unable to paint. Renoir took up sculpture but used somebody elses hands to form the clay according to his instructions. Sculptures were created which had never been touched by Renoir's hands but are works that came from his mind. Renoir would direct his assistant to "take a little more off there" or "make it rounder" until he was pleased with how the piece looked. By 1915, Renoir was carried to his easel every morning. Revived by his work, he was able to create paintings once again in the few years before his death. Some of his greatest art works were created at a time when he was completely disabled.