Woman with Grapevine, 1st variant

Woman with Grapevine, 1st variant by Pierre Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919) is a superb example of the Impressionist master's late-career exploration of graphic art. Created between 1899 and 1909, this sophisticated lithograph in black ink was expertly executed on cream Japanese paper, showcasing the technical skill of printer Auguste Clot and the marketing foresight of publisher Ambroise Vollard, who helped elevate Renoir’s standing in the field of modern prints.

Although widely celebrated for his Impressionist oil paintings, Renoir dedicated significant effort to printmaking in his final decades, often revisiting favored subjects through the unique demands of the lithographic stone. The medium allowed the artist to capture the softness and fluidity of the female form that characterized his work, while the starkness of the black ink emphasized line and volume. This specific print, classified as a variant, reflects the artist's enduring interest in idealized femininity and pastoral themes associated with the French tradition.

The composition features a woman, perhaps a bacchante or harvest figure, engaging with the rich, swirling foliage of the grapevine. The quality of the paper contributes a distinctive warmth and texture to the image, contrasting sharply with the dense black areas and the delicate handling of light. This important work, which marks a transition in Renoir's style away from pure Impressionism toward a more classical structure, remains a key holding in the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.