Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Collection C. Hoogendijk, The Hague (and sold: Amsterdam, May 21, 1912, lot 160)
Ambroise Vollard, Paris 
Robert de Galéa, Paris
Mayor Gallery, London
Mrs. Betty Farquar, London (and sold: Sotheby's, London, April 24, 1968, lot 76)
Mario de Botton, London (acquired at the above sale)
Private Collection, London (and sold: Sotheby's, New York, May 18, 1983, lot 27)
Acquired at the above sale

Paris, Galerie Durand-Ruel, Pastels et dessins par Renoir, 1921, no. 47
Tokyo, Isetan Museum of Art & Kyoto, Municipal Museum of Art, Renoir, 1979, no. 93, illustrated in color in the catalogue

Ambroise Vollard, Tableaux, pastels et dessins de Pierre-Auguste Renoir, vol. I, Paris, 1918, no. 35, illustrated p. 9
Guy-Patrice & Michel Dauberville, Renoir, Catalogue raisonné des tableaux, pastels, dessins et aquarelles, vol. III, Paris, 2010, no. 2476, illustrated p. 452

Executed on cream-colored laid paper mounted on board. The board is sound. Artist pinholes around the extreme perimeter of the sheet. Some nicks to the extreme perimeter and one small tear at extreme left edge near center. the upper left corner has been cut and repaired, which is visible on close inspection. Sheet is time stained but medium is fresh and well preserved with rich coloration. This work is in good condition.
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.

This charming portrait of Jean Renoir, the artist’s second son, is an affectionate depiction of one of Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s favourite subjects: his children. Renoir had painted numerous commissioned portraits of children in the earlier part of his career, but following the births of Pierre, Jean and Claude in 1885, 1894 and 1901 respectively, he frequently turned to his sons as a source of inspiration. The artist painted his children repeatedly throughout their childhoods, creating a visual diary as they transitioned from delicate, innocent babies into lively young boys.

Jean was one of Renoir’s most obedient sitters, playing for hours with toys and his nurse Gabrielle as his father captured his likeness. In his 1962 biography of Renoir, Jean recalls: “When I was still very young—say at the age of three, four, or five—instead of deciding on the pose I was to take, [my father] would wait until I found something to occupy me and keep quiet” (Jean Renoir, Renoir, My Father, London, 1962, p. 391). Though merely a baby in the present work, Jean’s memory is certainly pertinent; the child grasps a toy in each hand and is further distracted by something outside of the frame, resulting in a moment of stillness. The viewer is drawn to Jean’s animated yet soft face, which stands out against the loosely rendered costume, toys, and brightly colored background. Renoir lovingly captures his adorable child’s rosy cheeks, soft blonde hair, and fascinated expression in this early portrait of Jean, who would become one of the most celebrated filmmakers of his time.