Pierre Renoir from the Front (Head of a Child / Tête d’enfant)

Description

A child’s face looks directly outward in Auguste Renoir’s portrait of Pierre Renoir. Wavy hair surrounds the forehead, while the small indication of neck and chest gives the head a lightly supported place on the sheet. Soft brown marks define the features without making them stiff. The steady gaze contrasts with the more flowing texture of the hair, creating a likeness that feels both concentrated and gently informal.

Renoir made this lithograph in 1893, printing it in brown on China paper. The warm tone gives the portrait a quieter effect than a strongly black-and-white image, while the pale ground keeps attention on the child’s expression. The print makes much of modest differences in tone and contour. Rather than add a narrative setting, Renoir allows the arrangement of face, hair and glance to sustain the encounter.

Read our guide to giclée prints, browse more Auguste Renoir prints, or explore Marguerite-Thérèse (Margot) Berard (1874–1956).