Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Ambroise Vollard, Paris

Christian de Galea, Paris (acquired from the above)

Galerie de l'Art Moderne, Paris

Acquired from the above by the family of the present owners circa 1950

Very good condition. The canvas is lined. A thick varnish prevents detailed examination by UV light, although there are two tiny pin-head sized spots of fluorescence which appear in the upper left quadrant.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Renoir often preferred the freshness of natural light to the atmosphere of his studio, resulting in compositions that were painted en plein air.  This technique presented a departure from the traditional, academic practice of painting from sketches and depictions of interiors, and it launched Renoir and his fellow Impressionists into the forefront of the avant-garde. With its quick, spontaneous brush-strokes depicting a young woman in nature, the present work is a fine example of the aesthetic that defined the style of the artist's Impressionist painting. 

"Renoir loved women," Ann Dumas writes in her assessment of the artist's work.  "To the end of his life, it was by his painting of women that he wanted to be judged" (A. Dumas, Renoir's Women, New York, 2005, p. 9).  Indeed, Renoir's most beloved compositions are depictions of young women, and those he created during the 1870s and 1880s are considered as his most accomplished.  It is in these pictures that the artist established himself as the quintessential portraitist among the Impressionists.