Claude Renoir, Turned to the Left

The lithograph Claude Renoir, Turned to the Left by Pierre Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919) represents a key artistic endeavor during the Impressionist master’s exploration of graphic arts at the turn of the century. Created between 1899 and 1909, this intimate portrait was part of an ambitious publishing project helmed by the influential dealer Ambroise Vollard, with the technical execution of the prints supervised by Auguste Clot.

This delicate lithograph is printed in black on cream Japanese paper, a luxurious choice that lends a subtle warmth and textural depth to the composition. Renoir favored the lithographic medium late in his career, as it allowed him to achieve the fluid, painterly quality evident in this depiction of the young subject, likely the artist’s son, Claude. The work demonstrates Renoir’s enduring sensitivity to figure study, employing soft shading and simplified forms to capture a sense of immediacy and innocence.

The production of such sophisticated prints involved a high degree of collaboration characteristic of the flourishing Parisian art scene in France during the belle époque. Vollard actively sought to promote graphic works, ensuring that masters like Renoir reached a wider audience through high-quality editions.

As a significant example of French prints from the late Impressionist period, this piece showcases Renoir's continuing ability to merge classical compositional discipline with modern expressive freedom. The work is widely studied, and high-resolution images of this print are often made available through museum resources, contributing to the body of art considered in the public domain. This exemplary work is permanently housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.