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Lot Essay
This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue critique of Pierre-Auguste Renoir being prepared by the Wildenstein Institute established from the archives of François Daulte, Durand-Ruel, Venturi, Vollard and Wildenstein.
This painting will be included in volume IV or subsequent volumes of the Catalogue raisonné des tableaux, pastels, dessins et aquarelles de Renoir being prepared by Guy-Patrice and Michel Dauberville published by Bernheim-Jeune.
Claude Renoir was born in Essoyes on 4 August 1901. Renoir was then sixty years old and having another child at the autumn of his life brought him great joy and inspiration. He looked upon his infant son's health and growth as an affirmation of youth and life, for Renoir was now suffering from the ailments of old age.
The family lovingly nicknamed their youngest son Cloclo, which later became Coco. Almost immediately, he became Renoir's favorite model, replacing his elder brother Jean, who got his first haircut the year of Claude's birth. While long curls were in fashion for young boys in the late 1800s, Renoir was inspired to paint portraits of his children prior to their first haircut, in an effort to capture their childhood innocence. Once their tresses were cut, Renoir rarely used them as models. As Jean Renoir recalled: "it was while we were living in the rue Caulaincourt that my father had me pose for him most often. A few years later my brother Claude, who was seven years younger than I, was to take my place in the studio. Coco certainly proved one of the most prolific inspirations my father ever had" (Renoir, My Father, New York, 1958, p. 364).
This painting will be included in volume IV or subsequent volumes of the Catalogue raisonné des tableaux, pastels, dessins et aquarelles de Renoir being prepared by Guy-Patrice and Michel Dauberville published by Bernheim-Jeune.
Claude Renoir was born in Essoyes on 4 August 1901. Renoir was then sixty years old and having another child at the autumn of his life brought him great joy and inspiration. He looked upon his infant son's health and growth as an affirmation of youth and life, for Renoir was now suffering from the ailments of old age.
The family lovingly nicknamed their youngest son Cloclo, which later became Coco. Almost immediately, he became Renoir's favorite model, replacing his elder brother Jean, who got his first haircut the year of Claude's birth. While long curls were in fashion for young boys in the late 1800s, Renoir was inspired to paint portraits of his children prior to their first haircut, in an effort to capture their childhood innocence. Once their tresses were cut, Renoir rarely used them as models. As Jean Renoir recalled: "it was while we were living in the rue Caulaincourt that my father had me pose for him most often. A few years later my brother Claude, who was seven years younger than I, was to take my place in the studio. Coco certainly proved one of the most prolific inspirations my father ever had" (Renoir, My Father, New York, 1958, p. 364).