The Bather, study of a woman

Description of the artwork

Made circa 1896, this study by Renoir presents three female figures tying their hair and a face study in the lower left. From 1890 onwards, Renoir's palette evolved towards his "pearly" period under the influence of his travels and his observation of the old masters Titian, Rembrandt, Velasquez and Rubens who had in common the ability to model forms and suggest space with their brush, freeing themselves from pure drawing.
The theme of the female nude is one of the painter's favorite themes that he treated throughout his career. Numerous examples can be found in museums, notably "Les grandes baigneuses, 1887" in Philadelphia or the "Baigneuses, 1918-19", the ultimate masterpiece of the painter kept at Orsay.

Origin

Ambroise Vollard Collection
Léon Salavin Collection, Paris
Versailles sale, 1 Dec 1974, lot 68
Christie's London sale, 27 June 1978, lot 37
Private collection, Germany

Literature

Ambroise Vollard, "Pierre-Auguste Renoir - Paintings, pastels and drawings" San Francisco 1989, P.336 fig.1636
Guy-Patrice Dauberville et Michel Dauberville "Renoir : Catalogue raisonné des tableaux, pastels, dessins et aquarelles, vol 3, n°289, p.224, illustrated and titled "Etude de femmes; trois nus de femme et un portrait de fillette"
Wildenstein Plattner Institute Certificate N°22.09.19/21075