Artwork
Madame Henriot
Madame Henriot is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It dates from 1876 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: Renoir.
About this work
Technique & Style
Classified as a painting within the portrait genre, the piece depicts the sitter Henriette Henriot.
Executed in 1876, this portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 66 centimeters in height by 50 centimeters in width. Classified as a painting within the portrait genre, the piece depicts the sitter Henriette Henriot.
The materials and dimensions are consistent with standard late nineteenth-century French easel painting practices, though specific details regarding the artist's brushwork, surface condition, or distinct stylistic handling techniques are not explicitly detailed in the available records beyond the fundamental medium and support.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1876 by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, this portrait of Henriette Henriot likely entered the collection of Dr. Georges de Bellio in Paris. Following his death, the work probably passed by inheritance to his daughter, Victorine de Bellio, and her husband, Ernest Donop de Monchy. Around 1906, the Monchys likely sold the canvas to Alexandre Berthier, the 4th Prince de Wagram, potentially facilitated by Madame Bresnard and dealer Édouard Jonas.
Upon Berthier's death, his sister, Élisabeth Marguerite, inherited the piece. The Wagram heirs subsequently sold it through a consortium including Étienne Bignou, Alex Reid & Lefèvre, and M. Knoedler & Co. to Baron Maurice de Rothschild in September 1929. By 1934, Paul Rosenberg held the work, which Dr. David M. and Adele Rosenwald Levy acquired by 1941. The Levys donated the painting to the National Gallery of Art in 1961.
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it resides with accession number 1961.13.1. It entered the collection in 1961 as a gift from Dr. David M. and Adele Rosenwald Levy. The work’s exhibition history before 1961 is not documented in the sources provided.
Overview
Madame Henriot, painted by Auguste Renoir in 1876, is an oil-on-canvas portrait depicting the French actress Henriette Henriot. The work captures the sitter seated in a chair, dressed in a fashionable gown and a wide-brimmed hat adorned with flowers, set against a softly rendered, indistinct background. Renoir employs his characteristic Impressionist technique, utilizing loose, visible brushstrokes and a vibrant palette to convey the play of light on the fabric of her dress and the texture of her skin.
The composition focuses intently on the subject's face, which is turned slightly toward the viewer with a direct, engaging gaze that suggests a sense of intimacy and familiarity. Created during the height of Renoir's Impressionist period, the painting reflects his interest in portraying modern life and the beauty of contemporary women. The warm, intimate atmosphere of the portrait is often attributed to the personal friendship between the artist and the sitter, allowing for a relaxed and naturalistic depiction that transcends formal portraiture conventions of the era.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, Henriette Henriot, was an acquaintance of Renoir, a relationship that may have influenced the intimate quality of the depiction. She is shown seated, adorned in an elegant dress and hat, suggesting a moment of relaxed formality. This personal connection could contribute to the portrait's perceived warmth and sense of familiarity.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style.
