The artwork titled “Child in a White Dress (Lucie Berard)” is an oil on canvas painting created by Pierre-Auguste Renoir in 1883. As an exemplar of the Impressionist movement, Renoir’s work captures the delicacy and spontaneity characteristic of the genre, and it belongs to the portrait genre. Although painted over a century ago, the artwork remains privately held and continues to be appreciated for its historical and artistic value.
The painting features a young child, Lucie Berard, depicted in a full-length portrait. The central figure is dressed in a voluminous white dress that is intricately detailed with patterns and delicate lacework, accentuating the innocence and youth of the subject. The child’s pose is simple yet evocative, standing straight and looking directly at the viewer with a gentle and somewhat reflective facial expression. The background is rendered in a soft, blurred style common to Impressionist works, with muted tones that contrast with the crisp whiteness of the dress. The play of light and shadow on the figure, the use of loose brushstrokes to suggest texture, and the overall impression of a fleeting moment captured in time are quintessential elements of Renoir’s artistic approach, reflecting the aesthetics of the Impressionist movement.
