Renoir masterpiece The Umbrellas to be displayed in Leicester

The Umbrellas by Renoir is among the 12 paintings that will be loaned to institutions across the UK

A masterpiece by French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir is to be displayed in Leicester.

The Umbrellas will be loaned to the city by the National Gallery to mark its 200th anniversary.

It will be shown at Leicester Museum in Art Gallery from May 2024.

City mayor Peter Soulsby said it was a "huge privilege" for the city to be offered the painting which is considered one of the great impressionist works.

The loan forms part of the National Gallery's National Treasures project, a year-long festival of arts and culture which will see 12 important artworks being loaned to 12 cities around the UK.

The Umbrellas was painted between 1881 and 1886 and shows a busy Paris street scene full of people using umbrellas against the rain.

Renowned collection

Sir Peter said: "It is huge privilege for Leicester to be loaned such an iconic and important piece of 20th Century art, as part of the National Gallery's 200th anniversary celebrations.

"Leicester Museum and Art Gallery is already renowned for its extensive collection of German expressionist art and Picasso ceramics collection, among others, and the chance to exhibit such a well-known and historically significant painting is a real feather in our caps.

"I hope the chance to see The Umbrellas encourages even more people to discover what our museums have to offer visitors of all ages."

Director of the National Gallery Gabriele Finaldi said: "These exhibitions provide a unique opportunity for people all over the country to see up close some of the greatest works from the history of Western art."