Two Sisters

Pierre-Auguste Renoir began painting Two Sisters in April 1881 on the terrace of the Maison Fournaise restaurant in Chatou. Although the title suggests a familial bond, the models were not related; the elder figure was eighteen-year-old actress Jeanne Darlot, while the younger girl's identity remains unknown. On July 7, 1881, the art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel purchased the work directly from the artist for 1,500 francs and assigned it the alternative title On the Terrace. The painting debuted publicly at the seventh Impressionist exhibition in the spring of 1882.

By 1883, the work entered the collection of publisher Charles Ephrussi before returning to the Durand-Ruel family in 1892. In February 1925, Chicago collector Annie Swan Coburn acquired the piece for $100,000. Following her death in 1932, Coburn bequeathed the painting to the Art Institute of Chicago, where it has been housed since 1933.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted Two Sisters (On the Terrace) in 1881. The Art Institute of Chicago acquired the painting in 1933 after it was bequeathed by Annie Swan Coburn, who purchased it in 1925 for $100,000. The work was first exhibited publicly at the 7th Impressionist exhibition in spring 1882 and had previously been owned by Paul Durand-Ruel, Charles Ephrussi, and the Durand-Ruel family. It remains on display at the Art Institute of Chicago as part of their permanent collection.

The painting measures 100.5 cm × 81 cm and is classified as an oil-on-canvas portrait. It was created on the terrace of the Maison Fournaise restaurant on an island in the Seine, near Paris.

Two Sisters (On the Terrace) debuted at the seventh Impressionist exhibition in spring 1882 and has since been regarded as an ode to youth and spring, earning a reputation as one of the high points of Renoir’s oeuvre. Scholarship such as Francois Daulte’s reconstruction has identified the elder model as the future actress Jeanne Darlot, while the younger sister remains unnamed. Painted on the terrace of the Maison Fournaise, the same locale as Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party, the work exemplifies the artist’s luminous Impressionist handling of light and color, securing its place in the history of nineteenth‑century French painting.

The painting Two Sisters (On the Terrace) has exerted a lasting influence on the trajectory of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, shaping contemporary understandings of familial intimacy and outdoor leisure. Its debut at the 7th Impressionist exhibition in spring 1882 introduced a nuanced portrayal of youthful sisterly interaction, a motif that resonated with later artists exploring domestic scenes. The work's provenance, spanning collectors such as Paul Durand-Ruel, Charles Ephrussi, and Annie Swan Coburn, illustrated the growing market for Impressionist pieces, culminating in its 1925 sale for $100,000 and subsequent bequest to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1933.

Today, the painting remains a cornerstone of the museum's collection, frequently cited in scholarly discussions of Renoir's role in redefining portraiture through naturalistic light and compositional balance.

The legacy of Two Sisters extends beyond its immediate reception; it has been referenced in numerous exhibitions, academic analyses, and popular culture, underscoring its significance as both a technical masterpiece and a cultural artifact. Its enduring presence in the Art Institute of Chicago since 1933 has facilitated ongoing public engagement, with digital initiatives and educational programs highlighting its historical context and artistic innovations.

Created in 1881, this oil on canvas measures roughly 100.5 by 81 centimeters and is part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection. The work portrays two young women seated on a terrace overlooking the Seine, their figures framed by foliage and a distant river. Renoau titled the piece “Les Deux Sœurs,” while its first owner, dealer Paul Durand‑Ruel, referred to it as “Sur la terrasse.”