Woman with Grapevine, 4th variant

The influential print Woman with Grapevine, 4th variant was created by Pierre Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919) between 1899 and 1909. This specific lithograph, a variant designed for the album, was skillfully printed by Auguste Clot and published by the renowned dealer Ambroise Vollard, placing it firmly within the vibrant tradition of turn-of-the-century French printmaking. Executed in rich black ink on delicate cream Japanese paper, the classification as a print highlights the technical collaboration necessary to produce this fine edition.

During this late period, Renoir often returned to classical, idyllic subjects, focusing heavily on the graceful depiction of the female form. Although the title suggests an association with a grapevine, the work emphasizes the soft contour and texture of the figure, characterized by the loose, feathered marks typical of Renoir’s graphic output in the 1900s. The collaboration with Clot, a master printer based in France, allowed Renoir to translate the fluidity of his oil studies into the reproducible medium of lithography, achieving subtle tonal variations in pieces like Woman with Grapevine.

The production of such high-quality prints under Vollard’s patronage cemented Renoir’s lasting legacy beyond his canvases. The work is housed in the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. This beautiful example of late Impressionist graphic art ensures its continued study by scholars globally, with many similar Renoir prints now residing in the public domain.