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Lot Essay
This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue critique of Pierre-Auguste Renoir being prepared by the Wildenstein Institute established from the archives of François Daulte, Durand-Ruel, Venturi, Vollard and Wildenstein.
Pierre-Auguste’s youngest son Claude Renoir was born on 4 August 1901. Renoir was then sixty years old and having another child at the autumn of his life brought him great joy and inspiration. Renoir deeply cherished his third son, openly doting upon the boy and devoting hours of labour to capturing his cherubic likeness. He looked upon his infant son's health and growth as an affirmation of youth and life, for Renoir was now suffering from the ailments of old age.
The family lovingly nicknamed their youngest son Cloclo, which later became Coco. Almost immediately, he became Renoir's favourite model, replacing his elder brother Jean. As Jean Renoir recalled: 'it was while we were living in the rue Caulaincourt that my father had me pose for him most often. A few years later my brother Claude, who was seven years younger than I, was to take my place in the studio. Coco certainly proved one of the most prolific inspirations my father ever had’ (Renoir, My Father, New York, 1958, p. 364).
Although frequently represented alone, numerous paintings feature Coco in the company of women, particularly that of his mother's cousin, Gabriel Renard. Renoir's portraits of Coco serve as excellent documentation of the child's development spanning from infancy to early adolescence. Given that the work was executed in 1907 and that Coco was born in 1901, we may assume that he is here represented around the age of six.
Here the artist has captured the child seemingly unawares, writing or drawing in his sketchbook; his plump cheek rests on his hand. It is truly a charming work whose delicate execution instantly communicates Renoir's fatherly affections. Coco's white blouse contrasts beautifully with the rosy flush of his cheek, further emphasizing the child's youthful vibrancy. The hues employed are undeniably rich, particularly the warm reds, and Coco lacks some of the acidic greens and yellows so typical of Renoir's work. Here one's gaze is able to glide smoothly over the entirety of the composition before coming to rest on the young boy's visage.
The proportions of the work do nothing to diminish the impact of Renoir's feathery brush strokes, rather lending a higher level of intimacy to the painting. The fairly collapsed sense of space also serves to create for the viewer an illusion of close proximity to the sitting boy. Renoir has successfully captured the impression of a peaceful, fleeting moment in the presence of his beloved son.
Pierre-Auguste’s youngest son Claude Renoir was born on 4 August 1901. Renoir was then sixty years old and having another child at the autumn of his life brought him great joy and inspiration. Renoir deeply cherished his third son, openly doting upon the boy and devoting hours of labour to capturing his cherubic likeness. He looked upon his infant son's health and growth as an affirmation of youth and life, for Renoir was now suffering from the ailments of old age.
The family lovingly nicknamed their youngest son Cloclo, which later became Coco. Almost immediately, he became Renoir's favourite model, replacing his elder brother Jean. As Jean Renoir recalled: 'it was while we were living in the rue Caulaincourt that my father had me pose for him most often. A few years later my brother Claude, who was seven years younger than I, was to take my place in the studio. Coco certainly proved one of the most prolific inspirations my father ever had’ (Renoir, My Father, New York, 1958, p. 364).
Although frequently represented alone, numerous paintings feature Coco in the company of women, particularly that of his mother's cousin, Gabriel Renard. Renoir's portraits of Coco serve as excellent documentation of the child's development spanning from infancy to early adolescence. Given that the work was executed in 1907 and that Coco was born in 1901, we may assume that he is here represented around the age of six.
Here the artist has captured the child seemingly unawares, writing or drawing in his sketchbook; his plump cheek rests on his hand. It is truly a charming work whose delicate execution instantly communicates Renoir's fatherly affections. Coco's white blouse contrasts beautifully with the rosy flush of his cheek, further emphasizing the child's youthful vibrancy. The hues employed are undeniably rich, particularly the warm reds, and Coco lacks some of the acidic greens and yellows so typical of Renoir's work. Here one's gaze is able to glide smoothly over the entirety of the composition before coming to rest on the young boy's visage.
The proportions of the work do nothing to diminish the impact of Renoir's feathery brush strokes, rather lending a higher level of intimacy to the painting. The fairly collapsed sense of space also serves to create for the viewer an illusion of close proximity to the sitting boy. Renoir has successfully captured the impression of a peaceful, fleeting moment in the presence of his beloved son.