On the Beach at Berneval

"On the Beach at Berneval" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, executed between 1887 and 1897, showcases the artist’s nuanced engagement with printmaking during a transitional phase of his career. Unlike his celebrated oil paintings, this work is an etching, an intaglio technique requiring meticulous control over line and careful manipulation of the copper plate. Though primarily known as a pivotal painter of the Impressionist movement in France, Renoir explored various forms of visual media, producing a small but highly regarded body of prints late in the 19th century.

The subject matter aligns with Renoir’s lifelong interest in modern leisure and the relaxed depiction of figures. The coastal setting provides a characteristic background for capturing moments of quiet contemplation. While the composition maintains the light, airy quality associated with his style, the figures are rendered using the detailed hatching and defined contours necessary for etching, reflecting the shift toward a more classical structure evident in Renoir's work during this period. The execution demonstrates the artist’s ability to translate his aesthetic concerns into a precise graphic format, moving beyond the immediacy of Impressionist brushwork toward greater formal definition.

This piece, classified as a print, offers valuable insight into Renoir’s varied technical mastery. As a recognized masterwork, images of the etching are often made available through public domain archives, ensuring accessibility for scholars and enthusiasts of French art. This specific impression of On the Beach at Berneval is housed in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.