Louis Valtat from Twelve Original Lithographs by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Douze lithographies originales de Pierre-Auguste Renoir)

Louis Valtat from Twelve Original Lithographs by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Douze lithographies originales de Pierre-Auguste Renoir) is a powerful example of printmaking by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, one of the leading figures of the French Impressionist movement. Created as a lithograph around 1904, this piece was later published in 1919 as part of a highly regarded portfolio comprising twelve original prints. The work captures the likeness of Louis Valtat, a fellow French artist known for his vibrant color palettes and association with the Fauvist style, serving as a significant record of the artistic community operating in Paris during the early 20th century.

While Renoir is renowned primarily for his lyrical paintings of the female form and sun-dappled scenes, he embraced printmaking, particularly late in his career, as a medium to explore line and form with different constraints. The artist’s characteristic soft modeling is translated here through the granular texture and fluid lines inherent to the lithographic stone, lending the portrait a sense of intimate immediacy. The conception of the image circa 1904 places its initial creation within Renoir’s mature period, a time when he frequently engaged with younger contemporaries. The later formal publication in 1919 ensured the wide dissemination of these prints.

The importance of this particular impression is emphasized by its inclusion in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). As one element of the full portfolio, the portrait of Louis Valtat demonstrates Renoir's enduring technical virtuosity and willingness to experiment beyond traditional oil painting. The survival of these prints allows scholars and the public domain access to the entirety of the portfolio, which remains an essential reference point in the history of French graphic arts.