On the Terrace of a Hotel in Bordighera: The Painter Jean Martin Reviews His Bill (Illustration for Edmond Renoir’s “L’étiquette”)

On the Terrace of a Hotel in Bordighera: The Painter Jean Martin Reviews His Bill (Illustration for Edmond Renoir’s “L’étiquette”), executed in 1883 by Pierre Auguste Renoir French, 1841-1919, is a remarkable example of the artist’s graphic work during a period of extensive travel along the Mediterranean coast. Classified as a drawing, this piece was rendered using black conté crayon over preliminary work in pen, brush, and black ink on laid paper, which has since aged to a warm cream tone.

The subject captures a quiet, anecdotal moment: the painter Jean Martin reviewing his expense sheet while seated on a sun-dappled terrace in Bordighera, a popular resort town in Italy. This work was specifically conceived as an illustration for L’étiquette (Etiquette), a text written by Renoir's brother, Edmond Renoir. It reflects the sophisticated, continental milieu frequented by French society during the late 19th century, blending portraiture with genre scene characteristics.

The technique employed in this 1883 drawing demonstrates Renoir's mastery of line and tone, utilizing the black conté crayon to achieve deep shadow and textured detail while suggesting the atmospheric brilliance of the southern setting. Although best known for his luminous Impressionist paintings, Renoir actively pursued drawing and printmaking, using these media to refine his compositional skills and explore narrative form. This detailed depiction of contemporary manners is an important addition to the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection, demonstrating the versatility of the artist Renoir in media outside of traditional oil painting.