Lot Essay
One of Renoir's favorite subjects of the 1890s was the portrayal of young girls, often wearing elaborate hats which were highly fashionable at the time. In fact, as Suzanne Valadon remembered, Renoir had a particular penchant for women's hats and had them specially made for his models.
During this decade Renoir's social life was divided into two distinct parts, which were reflected in his work. He built up a clientele for portrait commissions, executing some formal society portraits; by contrast he also painted portraits of anonymous models, in which he sought only to render the charm and youthful appeal of his sitters. It has been suggested that the sitter in the present work is Jeanne Budot, a keen young artist and friend of Renoir's family after 1893.
As in many of Renoir's paintings, we notice in the present work a rich palette and a free handling of the paint. The delicate tones and sensuous treatment of the skin are in clever contrast to the impressionist handling of the hat, the form of which is described by confident brushstrokes and strong impasto. Having perfected the depiction of the sitter's face and hat, Renoir allows the viewer's eye to focus on these areas of the composition by describing the background and dress with rich but unobtrusive tones.
Chapeau jaune (the present work) and Chapeau rouge (Lot 101) have been together since they left the artist's studio in 1896. They were bought by Dr. T. Edward Hanley from Durand-Ruel on April 1, 1936 and gifted to the Denver Art Museum in 1974.
During this decade Renoir's social life was divided into two distinct parts, which were reflected in his work. He built up a clientele for portrait commissions, executing some formal society portraits; by contrast he also painted portraits of anonymous models, in which he sought only to render the charm and youthful appeal of his sitters. It has been suggested that the sitter in the present work is Jeanne Budot, a keen young artist and friend of Renoir's family after 1893.
As in many of Renoir's paintings, we notice in the present work a rich palette and a free handling of the paint. The delicate tones and sensuous treatment of the skin are in clever contrast to the impressionist handling of the hat, the form of which is described by confident brushstrokes and strong impasto. Having perfected the depiction of the sitter's face and hat, Renoir allows the viewer's eye to focus on these areas of the composition by describing the background and dress with rich but unobtrusive tones.
Chapeau jaune (the present work) and Chapeau rouge (Lot 101) have been together since they left the artist's studio in 1896. They were bought by Dr. T. Edward Hanley from Durand-Ruel on April 1, 1936 and gifted to the Denver Art Museum in 1974.