How did southern France help Pierre-Auguste Renoir develop a new style after 1890?

Between 1883 and 1890, Pierre-Auguste Renoir moved away from Impressionism toward a more disciplined style influenced by Classicism. During this period, his travels to southern France—specifically Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, and Martigues—played a pivotal role in his artistic evolution.1

The sunlit landscapes of the south encouraged his departure from the Impressionist techniques he associated with the Seine valley. The region provided scenes bursting with color and sensuality, which helped him break free from the rigid dictates of his earlier "harsh" or "dry" period. By experiencing the joyous spontaneity of nature in southern France, Renoir recovered an instinctive freshness in his work. He began to paint subjects, such as women at their bath, with a healthful bloom similar to that of flowers, successfully balancing his newfound discipline with a luminous palette.1