Bronze
Tate Collection
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<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/auguste-renoir-1828" aria-label="More by Auguste Renoir" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Auguste Renoir</a>
Mother and Child
Presented by Sir Thomas D. Barlow 1929
adults
baby
birth to death
breast feeding
children
clothing and personal items
family
hat
individuals: female
individuals: male
memorial
mother and child
named individuals
objects
people
portraits
Renoir, Auguste, Mme
Renoir, Pierre
society
woman
<p>In his last years Renoir made a number of sculptures using the female form to symbolise a benign relationship between human beings and nature. This informal study of a woman breast-feeding a baby was based on a painting executed many years earlier, in 1885, of Mme Renoir nursing their first child, Pierre. Soon after Mme Renoir's death in 1915, the artist happened to see the painting again, and this gave him the idea of commemorating his wife, who had been a devoted housewife and mother, in a sculpture. Renoir suffered from arthritis at this period, and the bronze was fashioned by Richard Guino under the artist's instruction and using the painting as a basis.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
sculpture bronze
7 January 2011 – 6 March 2011
2011-03-06
7 January 2011 – 6 March 2011
2011-03-06
2011-01-07
Great North Museum Hancock (Newcastle, UK)
2011-01-07
Coming of Age: the art and science of ageing
Loan-out
8 February 2014 – 20 April 2014
2014-04-20
8 February 2014 – 20 April 2014
2014-04-20
2014-02-08
The Lightbox (Woking, UK)
http://www.thelightbox.org/
2014-02-08
Renoir in Britain
Loan-out
19 May 2014 – 10 August 2014
2014-08-10
19 May 2014 – 10 August 2014
2014-08-10
2014-05-19
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2014-05-19
Kenneth Clark
Exhibition
Mother and Child
object: 533 × 235 × 318 mm
Presented by Sir Thomas D. Barlow 1929
<p>In his last years Renoir made a number of <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/s/sculpture" title="Glossary definition for 'Sculpture'"><span>sculptures</span></a> using the female form to symbolise a benign relationship between human beings and nature. This informal study of a woman breast-feeding a baby was based on a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> executed many years earlier, in 1885, of Mme Renoir nursing their first child, Pierre. Soon after Mme Renoir's death in 1915, the artist happened to see the painting again, and this gave him the idea of commemorating his wife, who had been a devoted housewife and mother, in a sculpture. Renoir suffered from arthritis at this period, and the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/m/metal" title="Glossary definition for 'Metal'"><span>bronze</span></a> was fashioned by Richard Guino under the artist's instruction and using the painting as a basis.</p>
Display caption
2004-09-03T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<strong>Auguste Renoir</strong> 1841-1919
<p>
<a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/renoir-mother-and-child-n04435" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N04435</span></a> <strong>M?re et Enfant</strong> (Mother and Child) <em>c.</em>1916
</p><p>
Inscribed '10/20' 'Renoir' and founder's stamp 'CIRE | C. VALSUANI | PERDUE' on l. side of base<br/>
Bronze, 21 x 9 1/4 x 12 1/2 (53.5 x 23.5 x 32)<br/>
Presented by Sir Thomas D. Barlow 1929<br/>
<em>Prov:</em> With Alfred Flechtheim, Berlin (joint editor of the bronze); Sir Thomas D. Barlow, Manchester<br/>
<em>Exh:</em> [?<em>Renoir: Gem?lde aus dem Besitze seiner S?hne und seine Skulpturen</em>, Galerie Flechtheim, Berlin, October-November 1928 (sculpture 3), dated <em>c.</em>1915]; RSA, Edinburgh, April-July 1948 (13); <em>Renoir</em>, RSA, Edinburgh, August-September 1953 (48, repr.); Tate Gallery, September-October 1953 (48, repr.); <em>Pioneers of Modern Sculpture</em>, Hayward Gallery, London, July-September 1973 (169)<br/>
<em>Lit:</em> Julius Meier-Graefe, <em>Renoir</em> (Leipzig 1929), pp.390-4, plaster repr. p.403 (dated <em>c.</em>1916); Paul Haesaerts, <em>Renoir Sculptor</em> (New York 1947), No.17, pp.29-30, 41-2, plaster repr. pl.32 (dated 1916)<br/>
<em>Repr:</em> <em>Kunst und Kunstler</em>, XXVI, 1928, p.155 (the plaster)
</p><p>
Madame Renoir nursing her first baby Pierre, born in 1885. Renoir had executed two <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>paintings</span></a> of this subject in 1885 and 1886, as well as several <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/d/drawing" title="Glossary definition for 'Drawing'"><span>drawings</span></a>. Soon after Mme Renoir's death on 27 June 1915, he happened to set eyes again on the first painted version and this gave him the idea to commemorate his wife, who had been a very devoted housewife and mother, in a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/s/sculpture" title="Glossary definition for 'Sculpture'"><span>sculpture</span></a>. The group was executed by Richard Guino at Essoyes under his guidance, using the first painting as a basis. Renoir also took up the theme again in a third painting which, though dated 1918 by A. Andr? and M. Elder (<em>L'Atelier de Renoir</em>, Paris 1931, No.596), was probably made at about the same time.
</p><p>
According to Haesaerts, the 'Mother and Child' was intended as a study for a large statue to be placed on Mme Renoir's tomb at Essoyes, but 'the large statue was never executed: only the head was rendered in larger dimensions'. However the head used on the tomb seems to be a separate project as it was based on a different painting and was apparently conceived within only three or four weeks of Mme Renoir's death. (There is a letter from Renoir dated 23 July 1915 in which he asks Guino to come to Essoyes as soon as possible; he is to model a bust after a painting of a seated woman).
</p><p>
The 'Mother and Child' was <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/cast" title="Glossary definition for 'Cast'"><span>cast</span></a> in <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/m/metal" title="Glossary definition for 'Metal'"><span>bronze</span></a> in 1927 for the dealers Hodebert (Galerie Hodebert-Barbazanges) of Paris, and Flechtheim of Dusseldorf and Berlin, the joint editors. The casts were made by Valsuani in Paris under the supervision of Charles Despiau. Besides the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/e/edition" title="Glossary definition for 'Edition'"><span>edition</span></a> of 20 bronzes, there is also at least one copy in terracotta.
</p><p>
Pierre Renoir (1885-1952) became a distinguished actor; he was closely associated with Louis Jouvet.
</p><p>
<strong>Published in:</strong><br/>
Ronald Alley, <em>Catalogue of the Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists</em>, Tate Gallery and Sotheby Parke-Bernet, London 1981, pp.626-7, reproduced p.626


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Catalogue entry
2004-09-10T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
adults baby birth to death breast feeding children clothing and personal items family hat individuals: female individuals: male memorial mother and child named individuals objects people portraits Renoir, Auguste, Mme Renoir, Pierre society woman