In the collection of Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia — check current display status with the museum.
FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG
Both out of paternal pride and financial gain (from portraits commissioned by wealthy middle-class parents), Renoir was motivated to paint children throughout his career. These canvases embodied a kind of wholesome innocence and nostalgia that served as a counter to the drastic societal changes brought on by rapid industrialization and urbanization. As Reading illustrates, Renoir preferred his young models to appear unselfconscious rather than artificially posed. This helped him capture the nuances of authentic gestures and expressions. The nebulous background suggests garden greenery and perhaps hints at the transience of childhood.
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William Glackens — Julia Reading
Auguste Renoir — Head of a Young Girl
Mary Cassatt — On a Balcony
Auguste Renoir — Young Girl Reading
Berthe Morisot — The Artist's Daughter with a Parakeet
Auguste Renoir — Two Young Girls at the Piano
Auguste Renoir — Child with Brown Hair
Berthe Morisot — Young Girl with an Apron
Jacob Maris — Girl with a Peacock Feather
William Glackens — Lenna with Basket of Flowers
Jacob Maris — Girl at the Piano
Édouard Manet — Little Girl in an Armchair
