Artwork
Young Woman Braiding Her Hair
Young Woman Braiding Her Hair 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.76
About this work
Technique & Style
The painting's formal qualities include delicate modeling of the figure and a restrained palette that underscores the quiet domestic activity of hair braiding.
Renoir employed oil paint on canvas for Young Woman Braiding Her Hair, a portrait completed in 1876 that exemplifies his fluid brushwork and nuanced handling of light. The work measures 55.5 cm in height by 46 cm in width, reflecting a conventional portrait format that emphasizes the sitter's intimate gesture. Its surface condition remains stable, showing no significant deterioration despite multiple ownership changes from Bernheim-Jeune to Andrew Mellon and eventual bequest to the National Gallery of Art.
The painting's formal qualities include delicate modeling of the figure and a restrained palette that underscores the quiet domestic activity of hair braiding.
History & Provenance
Executed in 1876, the painting entered the Paris art trade by 1913 in the private collection of Bernheim-Jeune, who lent it to exhibitions in 1913 and 1933 and published it as in their possession in 1919.
In 1934 it moved under partnership to Durand-Ruel, New York, and was sold in 1937 first to the Carroll Carstairs Gallery, New York, and then the same year to Andrew Mellon. After Mellon’s death in 1937, it passed by inheritance to his daughter Ailsa Mellon Bruce, and was bequeathed by her to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1970.
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its accession number is not specified in the provided sources. It entered the collection through the bequest of Ailsa Mellon Bruce in 1970 from her father Andrew Mellon’s inheritance, which itself traces back to purchases from Durand-Ruel and Carroll Carstairs Gallery in 1937. The work was previously owned by Dr. Gandie of Nice and Bernheim-Jeune in Paris before entering the Mellon collection.
It has been exhibited as part of the National Gallery of Art’s holdings, including a 1933 Paris exhibition where it was lent by Bernheim-Jeune.
Overview
Young Woman Braiding Her Hair, painted by Auguste Renoir in 1876, is a characteristic Impressionist portrait capturing a moment of intimate domesticity. The composition centers on a young woman with reddish-blonde hair, depicted in profile as she uses her right hand to braid her locks. She wears a simple white blouse that contrasts with the warm, muted tones of the background.
Renoir employs his signature soft, feathery brushstrokes to render the texture of the hair and the gentle play of light on the subject's skin, emphasizing the tactile quality of the scene. The work reflects the artist's mid-1870s focus on female beauty and everyday life, moving away from the strict outlines of his earlier style toward a more fluid, atmospheric approach. Created during a period when Renoir was fully immersed in the Impressionist movement, the painting exemplifies his interest in capturing transient moments of grace and the quiet dignity of ordinary subjects.
The calm expression of the sitter and the loose handling of paint create a sense of immediacy and naturalism, hallmarks of Renoir's contribution to the development of modern portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures a quiet, private moment, emphasizing the ritual of personal grooming. The woman’s calm expression and the concentration evident in her posture suggest a contemplative mood, inviting viewers to consider the ordinary yet personal nature of self‑care. By foregrounding the act of braiding, Renoir highlights the tactile relationship between the subject and her hair, a subtle study of femininity and routine.
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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.
