The Milliner (Primary Title)
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French, 1841 - 1919 (Artist)
This sketch is a monumental study of a modern subject, a favorite theme of Impressionist painters. The “milliner” shown here was a favorite model of Renoir’s, Suzanne Valadon, later an accomplished painter in her own right and mother of painter Maurice Utrillo. It is likely that this drawing served as a study for part of a later work, Umbrellas (National Gallery, London, illustrated below), which marked a watershed change in Renoir’s style.
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Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
“Experimental Lines: Impressionist and Postimpressionist Drawings from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon”, VMFA, March 23, 2024 - January 1, 2025
"Nineteenth Century French and Russian Art: Works from the Collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts", Joel and Lila Harnett Museum of Art, University of Richmond Museums, February 23 - April 27, 2014
"Corot to Cezanne: French Drawings from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon", The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia, January 25, 2013-June 2, 2013
"Corot to Cezanne: French Drawings from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon", VMFA, September 11, 2010-January 2, 2011.
"French paintings from the Collections of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon and Mrs. Mellon Bruce", National Gallery of Art, 25th Anniversary Exhibition, 1941-1966, March 17-May 1, 1966.
"Nineteenth Century French and Russian Art: Works from the Collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts", Joel and Lila Harnett Museum of Art, University of Richmond Museums, February 23 - April 27, 2014
"Corot to Cezanne: French Drawings from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon", The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia, January 25, 2013-June 2, 2013
"Corot to Cezanne: French Drawings from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon", VMFA, September 11, 2010-January 2, 2011.
"French paintings from the Collections of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon and Mrs. Mellon Bruce", National Gallery of Art, 25th Anniversary Exhibition, 1941-1966, March 17-May 1, 1966.
By 1956 (Lucien Guiraud, Paris, France); (Hôtel Drouot, Paris), June 1956, Guiraud collection sale. [1] By 1963 (Paul Rosenberg, New York); [2] June 1964 (Hector Brame, Paris); [3] Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon [1907-1999], Upperville, Virginia; Gift to Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond; accessioned into VMFA collection October 16, 1995. [4]
[1] The drawing was part of the Lucien Guiraud collection, sold via Hotel Drouot on June 14, 1956 in the sale “Dessins; acquarelles, gouaches, tableaux modernes”, Lot 40, Reproduction Pl. VIII. Currently, it is not known when Guiraud acquired the work nor who purchased it in 1956.
[2] In The Museum of Modern Art Archives (Collection: Paul Rosenberg, Series.Folder: II.Q.12), there is a memorandum from Paul Rosenberg dated December 9, 1963 offering this drawing to a Boston collector. The document states that the work was previously owned by Lucien Guiraud, Paris. Given this memorandum, the earliest known ownership date for Rosenberg is December 1963.
[3] In email correspondence from April 2024, Galerie Brame & Lorenceau indicated they received the drawing on consignment from Paul Rosenberg, New York in 1964. In the object file, there is an invoice from Hector Brame to Mr. Paul Mellon dated, June 26, 1964.
[4] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration records.
[1] The drawing was part of the Lucien Guiraud collection, sold via Hotel Drouot on June 14, 1956 in the sale “Dessins; acquarelles, gouaches, tableaux modernes”, Lot 40, Reproduction Pl. VIII. Currently, it is not known when Guiraud acquired the work nor who purchased it in 1956.
[2] In The Museum of Modern Art Archives (Collection: Paul Rosenberg, Series.Folder: II.Q.12), there is a memorandum from Paul Rosenberg dated December 9, 1963 offering this drawing to a Boston collector. The document states that the work was previously owned by Lucien Guiraud, Paris. Given this memorandum, the earliest known ownership date for Rosenberg is December 1963.
[3] In email correspondence from April 2024, Galerie Brame & Lorenceau indicated they received the drawing on consignment from Paul Rosenberg, New York in 1964. In the object file, there is an invoice from Hector Brame to Mr. Paul Mellon dated, June 26, 1964.
[4] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration records.
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
