PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (1841-1919) Tête de femme (Gabrielle) pen and ink on paper 6 5/16 x 5 1/8 in (16 x 13 cm) Executed in 1895 Footnotes: This work will be included in the forthcoming Pierre-Auguste Renoir Digital Catalogue Raisonné, currently being prepared under the sponsorship of the Wildenstein Plattner Institute, Inc. This work will be included in the second supplement to the Catalogue raisonné des tableaux, pastels, dessins et aquarelles de Renoir, currently being prepared by Guy-Patrice and Floriane Dauberville. Provenance Gabrielle Renard-Slade Collection, Cagnes & Los Angeles (a gift from the artist). John Slade Collection, Beverly Hills (by descent from the above circa 1959). Thence by descent to the present owner. The present work is an intimate and swift pen and ink study of Gabrielle engaged in a routine activity, perhaps reading or sewing, executed shortly after her arrival at the Renoir household. Whilst there is an immediacy to its presentation, it in fact captures something truly wonderful: the early stages of a remarkable relationship and the development of an iconic muse. Though Renoir is famous for his prolific output during his lifetime, his works on paper are a, comparatively, remarkably infrequent occurrence at auction. In fact, compared to his almost four thousand painting auction results since the 1980s, only just under nine-hundred works on paper have been offered. Even greater in their scarcity are his ink drawings, for which fewer than eighty have been presented at auction in the same period. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: Seller of the lot has been guaranteed a minimum price for its property by Bonhams or by a third party, or jointly by Bonhams and a third party (called third party guarantor). Such guaranteed minimum price may apply only to the lot or on an aggregate basis to all or a portion of the seller's consigned property, which may be offered in one or more auctions. Bonhams and/or any third parties providing a guarantee may benefit financially if the guaranteed property is 9 sold successfully and may incur a financial loss if its sale is not successful. The third party guarantor typically provides an irrevocable written bid on the guaranteed lot prior to the auction at a level that ensures the lot will sell. If there are competing bids at the auction, the third party guarantor may also bid a higher amount than the irrevocable bid submitted. In exchange for sharing or assuming in full this risk, Bonhams may compensate the third party guarantor by paying it a fixed and/or contingent financing fee based on the hammer price achieved. Where the third party guarantor is the successful bidder on the lot, the financing fee for providing the bid may be netted against the full purchase price owing, and in such case Bonhams will report the purchase price net of such financing fee. Third party guarantors are required by Bonhams to disclose their financial interest to anyone whom they are advising in connection with the guaranteed lot. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing

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