Take One Picture: An exhibition of work by primary schools inspired by Renoir's 'Umbrellas'

Room B, 29 April–19 September 2010

The National Gallery's Take One Picture scheme invites primary schools throughout the UK to use a painting from the Gallery's collection as a stimulus for learning across the curriculum. Hundreds of schools respond to the challenge and submit work for the annual exhibition.

The selection of pieces featured here and those described in the exhibition film demonstrate the innovative ways in which schools have responded to this year's focus painting, Pierre-Auguste Renoir's 'Umbrellas' (about 1881–6).

Renoir was an Impressionist artist, fascinated with capturing the effects of colour and light. He can be seen experimenting in this bustling Parisian street scene. First painted in a soft, feathery style, the artist later reworked the left side, introducing harder contours, more muted colours – and the umbrellas.

Teachers and artists involved in the project have written their own texts about the exhibits.

The schools represented in the 2010 exhibition are:

• Grafton Primary School, London
• Hampreston CE VA First School, Dorset
• Horningsham Primary School, Wiltshire
• Kew Green Preparatory School, Surrey
• Milbourne Lodge School, Surrey
• Samuel Lucas JMI School, Hertfordshire
• SERLS Friendship, London
• Stalham Junior School, Norwich
• Takeley Primary School, Hertfordshire
• Thorpe Greenways Infant School, Essex
• Wellingborough Preparatory School, Northamptonshire
• Wyke Regis CE Junior School, Weymouth