It was following his trip to Italy

It was following his trip to Italy and exposure to the works of artists such as Raphael that Renoir decided to experiment with his technique. In a letter written upon returning home he said:"I will, I think, attain the grandeur and simplicity of the ancient painters [... ] so as a result of seeing the outside, I ended up seeing nothing but the great harmonies without taking any more notice of the petty details which extinguish the sun instead of making it burn brighter.