Madame Monet and Her Son

1874

Auguste Renoir

Artist, French, 1841 - 1919

We look slightly down onto a woman and a young boy, both with pale skin, sitting together on a grassy lawn with a chicken standing nearby in this horizontal painting. The scene is loosely painted with visible brushstrokes throughout. The woman sits with her body angled to our left, her legs stretched out in front of her. She turns her head to face us as she leans forward to rest her chin on one hand, with that elbow propped on her lap. She looks off to our left with dark eyes, and her coral-pink lips are parted. Her chestnut-brown hair is pulled up under a white bonnet, which is topped with a pink flower and a touch of black. A black ribbon tied around her neck hangs down her back. She wears a long-sleeved, full-skirted white dress, and swipes of yellow, blue, and brown could be shoes peeking out from the bottom hem. The unfolded fan she holds in her far hand is cream white along the center has rose pink to one side and indigo blue to the other. The boy leans against her torso, his legs coming toward us, and he looks out at us with dark eyes. His cheeks are flushed and his pink lips are closed. He has short blond hair with bangs under a short-brimmed, straw-yellow hat. His suit is baby blue with navy-blue swipes across the shoulders and a white streak at his neck, perhaps a neckerchief. There are dark bands at the cuffs and around his waist. The blue pants are rolled back over bare knees, and he wears gray socks and red and white shoes. A spindly tree trunk grows behind the woman’s back, and the grassy lawn nearly fills the painting. A bed of flowers with dark pink blossoms runs along the curving line of grass in the upper left corner. A chicken stands and looks at the pair, to our right. The bird has a vibrant red comb, buttercup-yellow, white, and dark brown feathers. Its feet are covered with white feathers.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 50.4 x 68 cm (19 13/16 x 26 3/4 in.)
    framed: 77.4 x 95.5 x 11.4 cm (30 1/2 x 37 5/8 x 4 1/2 in.)

  • Accession

    1970.17.60

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

From the artist to Claude Monet [1840-1926], Giverny, husband and father of sitters; by inheritance to his son Michel Monet [1877-1966], Giverny; sold 1952 to Capt. Edward H. Molyneux [1891-1974], Paris;[1] sold 15 August 1955 to Ailsa Mellon Bruce [1901-1969], New York; bequest 1970 to NGA.
[1] Date of sale between Monet and Molyneux according to François Daulte, August Renoir, catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, Lausanne, 1971, vol. I, no. 104,

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1913

  • Renoir, Bernheim-Jeune et Fils, Paris, 1913, no. 6 as Dans l'Herbe.

1933

  • Exposition Renoir, Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris, 1933, no. 30

1952

  • French Paintings from the Molyneux Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1952, unnumbered checklist, repro.

1961

  • French Paintings of the Nineteenth Century from the Collection of Mrs. Mellon Bruce, California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, 1961, no. 53, repro

1966

  • Impressionist Treasures from Private Collections in New York, N. Knoedler & Co., New York, 1966, no. 31, repro.

  • French Paintings from the Collections of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon and Mrs. Mellon Bruce, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1966, no. 99, repro., as Madame Monet and Her Son in Their Garden at Argenteuil.

1978

  • Small French Paintings from the Bequest of Ailsa Mellon Bruce, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1978, unnumbered catalogue.

1985

  • Auguste Renoir, Arts Council of Great Britain, Hayward Gallery, London; Grand Palais, Paris; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1985

1986

  • Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the National Gallery of Art, Washington, State Hermitage Museum, Leningrad; State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, 1986, no. 28, repro.

1989

  • Impressionisti della National Gallery of Art di Washington, Ala Napoleonica e Museo Correr, Venice; Palazzo Reale, Milan, 1989, unnumbered catalogue, repro.

1990

  • Französische Impressionisten und ihre Wegbereiter aus der National Gallery of Art, Washington und dem Cincinnati Art Museum, Neue Pinakothek, Munich, 1990, no. 48, repro.

1992

  • From El Greco to Cézanne: Masterpieces of European Painting from the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and The Metroplitan Museum of Art, New York, National Gallery of Greece, Athens, 1992-1993, no. 48, repro.

1996

  • Renoir: Gemälde 1860-1917, Kunsthalle Tübingen, Germany, 1996, no. 24, repro.

1997

  • Renoir's Portraits: Impressions of an Age, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; The Art Institute of Chicago; Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, 1997-1998, no. 17, repro., as Camille Monet and Her Son Jean in the Garden at Argenteuil.

2000

  • Impression: Painting Quickly in France, 1860-1890, National Gallery, London; Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam; Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, 2000-2001, fig. 108 (shown only in Amsterdam and Williamstown).

  • The Impressionists at Argenteuil, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, 2000, no. 21, repro., as Madame Monet and Her Son in Their Garden at Argenteuil.

2002

  • Renoir o Pintor Da Vida, Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo, 2002, unnumbered catalogue, repro.

2003

  • Monet et ses amis, Szépmüvészeti Múzeum, Budapest, 2003-2004, no. 64, repro.

2011

  • Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the National Gallery of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; The National Art Center, Tokyo; Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, 2011, no. 41, repro.

2012

  • Renoir: Between Bohemia and Bourgeoisie: The Early Years, Kunstmuseum Basel, 2012, no. 31, repro.

2013

  • Intimate Impressionism from the National Gallery of Art, Museo dell'Ara Pacis Augustae, Rome (exhibition title in this venue: Impressionist Gems); California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco; McNay Art Museum, San Antonio; Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo, Seattle Art Museum, 2013-2016, pl. 39.

2017

  • Monet the Collector, Musée Marmottan-Claude Monet, Paris, 2017-2018, no. 35, repro.

2022

  • Renoir: Rococo Revival, Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, Frankfurt am Main, 2022, no. 32, repro.

Bibliography

1913

  • Renoir. Preface by Octave Mirbeau. Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, 1913: 56, repro.

1919

  • Vollard, Ambroise. La vie & l'oeuvre de Pierre-August Renoir, Paris, 1919: 67.

1929

  • Meier-Graefe, Julius. Renoir. Leipzig, 1929: 32.

1943

  • Graber, Hans. Auguste Renoir nach eigenen und fremden Zeugnissen. Basel, 1943: 48, repro. 67.

1946

  • Rewald, John. The History of Impressionism. New York, 1946: 276.

1947

  • Tabarant, Adolphe. Manet et ses oeuvres. Paris, 1947: 252-257.

1952

  • Talmey, Allene. "Captain Molyneux." Vogue (15 August 1952): 132, repro.

  • Frankfurter, A.M. "The Molyneux Collection travels." Art News 51, no. 2 (April 1952):34, repro.

1966

  • Rewald, John. "How New York Became the Capital of 19th Century Paris." Art News 64 (January 1966): 36, repro.

1967

  • Pool, Phoebe. Impressionism. London, 1967:160, repro.

1969

  • Howard-Johnston, Paulette. "Une visit à Giverny en 1924." L'Oeil 171 (March 1969):30.

1970

  • Cogniat, Raymond. Renoir. Paris, 1970:81, repro.

1971

  • Daulte, Francois. Auguste Renoir, catalogue raisonne de l'oeuvre peint. Vol.I. Figures 1860-1890. Lausanne, 1971: no. 104

1972

  • Fezzi, Elda. L'opera completa di Renoir nel period impressionista. Milan, 1972: no. 123.

1973

  • Rewald, John. The History of Impressionism. New York, 1973: 341-343, repro.

1975

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 298, repro.

1978

  • Small French Paintings from the Bequest of Ailsa Mellon Bruce. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1978: 44, repro. (continuing exhibition beginning in 1978).

1980

  • Kelder, Diane. The Great Book of French Impressionism. New York, 1980: 231, 438, repro.

  • Monneret, Sophie (intro). Guida alla pittura di Renoir. Milan, 1980: 165, no. 136.

1983

  • Gordon, Robert and Andrew Forge. Monet. New York, 1983:203, repro.

  • Cachin, Françoise, Charles S. Moffet and Michele Melot. Manet. Exh. Cat. Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, Paris, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1983:under no.141, p. 362, repro.

1984

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 465, no. 677, color repro.

  • White, Barbara Ehrlich. Renoir: His Life, Art, and Letters. New York, 1984:repro. 55.

1985

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 343, repro.

1989

  • Monneret, Sophie. Renoir. Paris, 1989:11, 52, 156.

1990

  • Französische Impressionisten und ihre Wegbereiter aus der National Gallery of Art, Washington und dem Cincinnati Art Museum. Exh. cat. Neue Pinakothek, Munich, 1990: no. 48, repro.

1991

  • Coman, Florence E. Joie de Vivre: French Paintings from the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1991: no. 21, repro.

1992

  • Fourny-Dargère, Sophie. Monet. Paris, 1992: repro. 7.

  • Deleau, Ghislaine and Corinne Cesano. Les Peintres et le Val-d'Oise. 1992: 16, repro.

1995

  • Kostenevich, Albert. Hidden Treasures Revealed: Impressionist Masterpieces and Other Important French Paintings Preserved by The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. New York, 1995:144, repro.

1996

  • White, Barbara Ehrlich. Impressionists Side by Side: Their Friendships, Rivalries, and Artistic Exchanges. New York, 1996: 73, repro.

1997

  • Kelder, Diane. The Great Book of French Impressionism, 1997, no. 219, repro.

1998

  • Roters, Eberhard. Malerei des 19.Jahrhunderts: Theme und Motive. 2 vols. Cologne, 1998:II:117, repro.

  • Zuffi, Stefano and Francesca Castira. La peinture moderne des impressionnistes aux avant-gardes. Paris, 1998:96, repro.

2000

  • Tucker, Paul Hayes The Impressionists at Argenteuil. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington; Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford. Washington and Hartford, 2000: no. 21.

  • Défossez, Marie-Paule. Les Grands Peintres du Val-d'Oise. Valhermeil, 2000:55, repro.

  • Goldin, Marco. La Nascito dell'Impressionismo. Exh. cat. Conegliano, c. 2000:repro. p. 18.

2007

  • Dauberville, Guy-Patrice, and Michel Dauberville. Renoir: Catalogue raisonné des tableaux, pastels, dessins et aquarelles. 5 vols. Paris, 2007: 1:no. 248.

  • Renoir Landscapes 1865-1883. Exh. cat. The National Gallery, London; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; Philadelphia Museum of Art. London, 2007: 56, fig. 35.

Wikidata ID

Q20188778

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