Claude renoir 1901 biography

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French painter and sculptor (1841–1919)

"Renoir" redirects here. For other people named Renoir, see Renoir (surname). For the 2012 film, see Renoir (film).

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (;French:[pjɛʁoɡystʁənwaʁ]; 25 February 1841 – 3 December 1919) was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style. As a celebrator of beauty and especially feminine sensuality, it has been said that "Renoir is the final representative of a tradition which runs directly from Rubens to Watteau."

He was the father of actor Pierre Renoir (1885–1952), filmmaker Jean Renoir (1894–1979) and ceramic artist Claude Renoir (1901–1969). He was the grandfather of the filmmaker Claude Renoir (1913–1993), son of Pierre.

Life

Youth

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born in Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France, in 1841. His father, Léonard Renoir, was a tailor of modest means, so, in 1844, Renoir's family moved to Paris in search of more favorable prospects. The location of their home, in rue d'Argenteuil in central Paris, placed Renoir in proximity to the Louvre. Although the young Renoir had a natural proclivity for drawing, he exhibited a greater talent for singing. His talent was encouraged by his teacher, Charles Gounod, who was the choirmaster at the Church of St Roch at the time. However, due to the family's financial circumstances, Renoir had to discontinue his music lessons and leave school at the age of thirteen to pursue an apprenticeship at a porcelain factory.

Although Renoir displayed a talent for his work, he frequently tired of the subject matter and sought refuge in the galleries of the Louvre. The owner of the factory recognized his apprentice's talent and communicated this to Renoir's family. Following this, Renoir started taking lessons to prepare for entry into Ecole des Beaux Arts. When the porcelain factory adopted mechanical reproduction processes in 1858,

Turning frequently to his family for inspiration, this intimate image is a notional rendering of the artist's youngest son, Claude, who frequently served as one of Renoir’s favored subjects. Executed in a gestural fashion, the artist manipulates light and form to capture the jubilant contours of the child's face.

Claude Renoir, son of the artist, was born in 1901 when Pierre-Auguste Renoir was already 60 years of age. Michel Ferloni and Dominique Spies state, "it must have been a great joy for the nearly helpless Renoir to follow the smile or the games of this marvelous little being with chubby cheeks, still free as the air and bouncing with life, who was his son" (Ferloni, 56). This sense of fascination with his son is evident in the artist's delicate rendering of the petit nose and delicate lips. The child appears to be studying something just beyond the picture plane with an intent glare of childish curiosity.

Created in 1908, this original etching is from the second state in black and white before the canceled plate.  Numbered 55/100 in pencil in the lower left margin, this work was printed on fine, laid paper with wide margins and a faint plate mark all around.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
This work is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work).

1. Delteil, L. (1999). Pierre-Auguste Renoir, L’œuvre grave et lithographié, Catalogue Raisonné. Hyman, A. (Ed.). Alan Wofsy Fine Arts: San Francisco. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 18 on pgs. 36-7.

2. Stella, J.G. The Graphic Work of Renoir, Catalogue Raisonné. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 18.

3. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:
Pierre-Auguste Renoir Claude Renoir, Three-Quarters to the Right (Claude Renoir, de Trois-Quarts à Droite ), is framed to museum-grade, conservation sta

(1841-1919)

Who Was Pierre-Auguste Renoir?

An innovative artist, Pierre-Auguste Renoir started out as an apprentice to a porcelain painter and studied drawing in his free time. After years as a struggling painter, Renoir helped launch an artistic movement called Impressionism in 1870s. He eventually became one of the most highly regarded artists of his time.

Early Years

The son of a tailor and a seamstress, Renoir came from humble beginnings. He was the couple's sixth child, but two of his older siblings died as infants. The family moved to Paris sometime between 1844 and 1846, living near the Louvre, a world-renowned art museum. He attended a local Catholic school.

As a teenager, Renoir became an apprentice to a porcelain painter. He learned to copy designs to decorate plates and other dishware. Before long, Renoir started doing other types of decorative painting to make a living. He also took free drawing classes at a city-sponsored art school, which was run by sculptor Louis-Denis Caillouette.

Using imitation as a learning tool, a nineteen-year-old Renoir started studying and copying some of the great works hanging at the Louvre. He then entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, a famous art school, in 1862. Renoir also became a student of Charles Gleyre. At Gleyre's studio, Renoir soon befriended three other young artists: Frédéric Bazille, Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley. And through Monet, he met such emerging talents as Camille Pissarro and Paul Cézanne.

Early Career

In 1864, Renoir won acceptance into the annual Paris Salon exhibit. There he showed the painting, "La Esmeralda," which was inspired by a character from Victor Hugo's Notre-Dame de Paris. The following year, Renoir again showed at the prestigious Salon, this time displaying a portrait of William Sisley, the wealthy father of artist Alfred Sisley.

While his Salon works helped raise his profile in the art world, Renoir had to struggle to make a living. He