Pierre-Auguste Renoir
French, 1841–1919
Woman Reading
c. 1895
Renoir often made use of traditional themes in his work. Here, he shows a young woman reading by a window, seemingly unaware of being observed. Sunlight creates sharp white accents on the curtain, the page, and the woman's clothing. The chemise that slips off her shoulder calls attention to her exposed body and underscores the intimacy of the setting.
Medium | oil on canvas |
Dimensions | 16 3/8 x 12 7/8 in. (41.6 x 32.7 cm) Frame: 23 3/8 x 19 7/8 x 2 3/4 in. (59.4 x 50.5 x 7 cm) |
Object Number | 1955.908 |
Acquisition | Acquired by Sterling and Francine Clark before 1955 |
Status | Off View |
Image Caption
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Woman Reading, c. 1895, oil on canvas. Clark Art Institute, 1955.908
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EUROPEAN PAINTINGS CATALOGUE ENTRY
Provenance
The artist, sold to Durand-Ruel, 3 Aug. 1900; [Durand-Ruel, Paris, from 1900]; Paul Durand-Ruel, Paris (by 1901–d. 1922); Durand-Ruel family, Paris (1922–39, sold to Durand-Ruel, New York, 6 July 1939); [Durand-Ruel, New York, sold to Clark, 6 July 1939];¹ Robert Sterling Clark (1939–55); Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 1955. 1. Information from Durand-Ruel archives. See correspondence of 24 Apr. 2001 in the Clark’s curatorial file. According to the Durand-Ruel records, the painting was consigned from the Durand-Ruel family private collection to the Durand-Ruel Gallery, New York, on 21 Nov. 1938. The gallery did not purchase the picture until 6 July 1939. The invoice for this picture, however, is dated 26 June 1939. See the Clark’s curatorial file.