Explain how Luncheon of the Boating Party can be seen as a response to Émile Zola's claim that the Impressionists were selling "sketches that are hardly dry."

What will be an ideal response?

Essay responses should include these points:
• Émile Zola wrote a critique encouraging more thoughtful expression, specifically, long and thoughtful preparation.
• This statement ("selling sketches that are hardly dry") was really a challenge to Impressionists to create more complex work.
• Renoir was inspired to bring together all of the "suggestions" into one painting.
• Scholars believe that Renoir's Boating Party was partially inspired by Dutch genre subjects.