Artwork
Caroline Rémy ("Séverine")
Caroline Rémy ("Séverine") is a pastel drawing by the Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: Renoir
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The image serves as a visual record of a woman who was a leading voice for social reform and women's rights in France.
The work depicts Caroline Rémy, known by her pen name Séverine, a prominent French journalist and feminist activist. Created in 1885 by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the pastel on paper presents a portrait of the subject, capturing her likeness as a figure of intellectual and social significance during the late nineteenth century. The choice to portray Séverine reflects her public stature and the artist's engagement with contemporary figures.
The image serves as a visual record of a woman who was a leading voice for social reform and women's rights in France.
Technique & Style
Caroline Rémy ("Séverine") is a drawing executed in pastel on paper, a medium Renoir used to capture the sitter with soft, blended strokes characteristic of his later portrait practice. The work is classified as a drawing rather than a painting, with the dry pastel medium allowing for both linear definition and tonal modeling on the paper support.
Measured dimensions are 62.3 cm in height by 50.8 cm in width. The piece is held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of its drawings collection (NGA 46683).
History & Provenance
Auguste Renoir created the pastel on paper depicting Caroline Rémy, known as Séverine, in 1885. The work remained in the possession of the sitter in Paris before entering the collection of Leon Pédron of Le Havre. It was sold at Pédron's estate auction on June 2, 1926, as lot number 54, and subsequently acquired by the dealers MM Gerard frères.
The piece later passed to the art dealer Paul Guillaume before being purchased by Chester Dale in October 1928. Dale eventually bequeathed the drawing to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it entered the collection in 1963.
The drawing is held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its accession number is NGA 46683. The work was first owned by Caroline Rémy in Paris and later by Léon Pédron in Le Havre before being sold at auction on 2 June 1926 (lot 54) to the dealer MM Gerard frères. It then passed to Paul Guillaume and was purchased by Chester Dale in October 1928.
In 1963 Chester Dale gifted the piece to the National Gallery of Art, where it remains on view.
Overview
Caroline Rémy ("Séverine") is a pastel drawing on paper by Auguste Renoir, dating to around 1885. It portrays Caroline Rémy, known by her pen name Séverine, in a seated pose with direct eye contact with the viewer.
Context
This portrait reflects Renoir's interest in depicting contemporary figures in intimate settings, distinct from the formal portraiture typical of the time.
Legacy
As a representation of Séverine, the drawing provides a unique visual record of the journalist, contrasting her public persona with a private, serene demeanor.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style.
