The artwork titled “Madame Louis Valtat nee Suzanne Noel” is a portrait painted by the esteemed artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir between 1902 and 1903. This oil on canvas piece is a fine example of the Impressionist movement, measuring 53.98 by 45.09 centimeters. As of the last known status, this artwork belongs to a private collection, and it captures the essence of Impressionism through its brushwork and treatment of light.
The artwork depicts a woman in a three-quarter profile view, demonstrating Renoir’s fascination with capturing human expressiveness and character. The subject, Madame Louis Valtat, is portrayed with a soft gaze directed off-canvas, which, combined with the delicate rendering of the face, engenders an atmosphere of contemplative serenity. Her attire and the poised way she holds herself speak to the elegance of the era.
Renoir’s brushstrokes are loose and fluid, a characteristic of his mature period, allowing for a luminous interplay of light and color that imparts a sense of vitality and movement to the composition. In line with the Impressionist ethos, the focus on the atmospheric effects rather than precise detail lends the artwork a spontaneous and lively quality. The palette is suffused with warm tones that underscore the intimate and personal nature of the portrait. Renoir’s signature, found at the lower right, further authenticates the piece as the work of one of the leading figures of the Impressionist movement.
