The Luncheon of the Boating Party – Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton Township, Trenton, New Jersey

Seward Johnson’s "Were You Invited?" is inspired by French Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s masterpiece, "Le déjeuner des canotiers" ("The Luncheon of the Boating Party"), painted in 1881. In this specially designed and landscaped environment, viewers can actually step into the scene and mingle with the diners. In addition to the members of the Impressionist’s boating party are four figures seated around another table at the far end of the tableau. Joined in convivial conversation are realistic representations of sculptor Johnson himself with fellow artists Bill Barrett, Red Grooms, and Andrzej Pitynski. A dashing character in period costume brandishes his cane and addresses those at the table asking, "Were you invited?" Phillip Bruno, collector and art gallery director, posed for this gentleman keeping out the party crashers. Since 1994, Johnson has been creating lifesized three-dimensional works based on well-known paintings that, as Johnson has said, "allow an intimacy with the paintings that the paintings don’t allow themselves."