Ambroise Vollard from Twelve Original Lithographs by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Douze lithographies originales de Pierre-Auguste Renoir)

Ambroise Vollard from Twelve Original Lithographs by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Douze lithographies originales de Pierre-Auguste Renoir) is a seminal print created by the French Impressionist master, Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Executed in 1904, this work is one of twelve individual lithographs comprising a significant portfolio that documented the artist's late engagement with graphic mediums. The print captures the likeness of Ambroise Vollard, the highly influential dealer who tirelessly promoted Renoir and many other leading modern artists throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While Renoir is chiefly celebrated for his evocative oil paintings, his work as a printmaker, particularly in lithography, demonstrates his versatility. The artist utilized the lithographic process to achieve a delicate balance of softness and detail, translating the atmospheric qualities characteristic of his paintings into the monochromatic realm of prints. This particular piece, created around c. 1904, showcases Renoir’s mature style, characterized by feathery, fluid lines and an intimate approach to portraiture. The twelve subjects in the portfolio, including Vollard, reflect Renoir’s close artistic circle and his continued search for expression outside of traditional painting.

The historical significance of this work is tied closely to the collaboration between artist and publisher. Although the original works were drawn in 1904, the complete portfolio Douze lithographies originales was formally published in 1919. This collection represents an important contribution to the tradition of limited-edition artists’ prints in the French fin-de-siècle period. Today, this lithograph remains a critical record of early 20th-century artistic patronage and is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York.