Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919), “Claude dessinant” (Claude Drawing) from the series “Hommage aux Collettes,” 1950

A sepia-toned workshop lithograph on Arches vellum paper, dimensions: 35 x 25 cm within a passe-partout measuring 45 x 35 cm; signed on the stone in the lower right; printed in an edition of 300 copies in 1950 with the permission of Renoir’s heirs, licensed by the Renoir Estate.
The work depicts the artist’s youngest son, Claude Renoir (known as “Coco”)
Publisher: Les Heures Claires (a renowned Parisian publishing house specializing in luxury bibliophile editions and prints).
Artist (lithographer/engraver): André Marty—he was responsible for the masterful adaptation and execution of the lithographs and woodcuts based on Renoir’s works and motifs.
The print portfolio “Hommage aux Collettes” (Tribute to Les Collettes) is a prestigious, limited-edition collector’s item created by the renowned Parisian publisher Les Heures Claires (known for its postwar, exclusive bibliophile publications) in collaboration with lithographer and engraver André Marty.
The title of the publication directly refers to Les Collettes—Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s picturesque estate in Cagnes-sur-Mer in the south of France. It was there that the artist spent the last years of his life (from 1907 until his death in 1919), drawing inspiration from the surrounding olive groves, landscapes, and everyday family life.
During this period, Renoir painted in a very free, almost “blurred” style, focusing on the light filtering through skin and fabrics. He often portrayed people from his immediate circle—maids (including the famous Gabrielle Renard), his wife, or female neighbors with whom he was friends. The women in these portraits are often surrounded by flowers or rays of sunlight, which was meant to celebrate the vitality and beauty of life, despite the artist’s personal suffering. Color scheme: The etchings are rendered in sepia tones, which enhance the sense of nostalgia and classic elegance.
The frames shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a commercial offer.