Tempera, oil, and gouache on paper. Featuring portrait of lovers. Signed and attr. Pierre-Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919) on the lower left corner. Marked with gallery seal with notation on verso. Accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. 20.8 x 29.4 cm (8.2 x 11.6 inches). Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a French painter and leading figure in the Impressionist movement. Renoir applied pigment with lively brushstrokes that effectively captured flickering light and atmosphere, as seen in his Bal du moulin de la Galette (1876). “For me, a picture must be a pleasant thing, joyous and pretty yes, pretty. There are too many unpleasant things in life for us to fabricate still more,†he once reflected. Born on February 25, 1841 in Limoges, France, Renoir studied at the ecole des Beaux-Arts before meeting Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley. He participated in the first and second Impressionist exhibitions in 1874 and 1876, which despite receiving harsh reviews achieved the goal of providing a challenge to the dominance of the Salon. Over the next decade, Renoir distanced himself from the group, painting more structured compositions, inspired by the Renaissance artworks he saw while on a trip to Italy. Towards the end of his life he suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis, and was forced to paint many of his last works with a brush tied to his hand. Renoir died on December 3, 1919 in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France. Today, the artist’s works are held in the collections of the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, and the National Gallery in London, among others. PROVENANCE: Private estate (Toronto, ON)

All authorship of items in this catalog are described according to the following terms:

By [Artist Name] : In our opinion, the work is by the artist.

Attributed to [Artist Name] : In our opinion, the work may be ascribed to the artist on the basis of style, but there may be some question as to actual authorship.

In the manner of [Artist Name] : In our opinion, the work was executed by an unknown hand, but was designed deliberately to emulate the style of the artist.

After [Artist Name] : In our opinion, the work was executed by an unknown hand, but is a deliberate copy of a known work by the artist.

Circle of [Artist Name] : In our opinion, a work of the period of the artist showing his influence, closely associated with the artist but not necessarily his pupil.

Follower of [Artist Name]: In our opinion, a work by a pupil or a follower of the artist (not necessarily a pupil).

American, 19th century : In our opinion, this work was executed by an unknown hand, and can only be identified by origin (i.e., region, period).

Bears signature : In our opinion, the signature on the artwork may be spurious.
Apocryphal : Of doubtful authenticity.