A previously unknown masterpiece by French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir has been unveiled at the prestigious Hôtel Drouot auction house in Paris, where it will go up for auction on November 25. The painting, titled "The Child and His Toys - Gabrielle and the Artist's Son, Jean," is being described as an exceptionally rare "masterpiece of intimacy" that has never left private family hands since its creation in the 1890s.
The oil painting, measuring 54x65 cm and in perfect condition, depicts young Jean Renoir, the artist's second son who would later become the acclaimed film director of "The Grand Illusion" and "The Rules of the Game." In the work, Jean is shown sitting on the lap of his nanny Gabrielle Renard, completely absorbed in playing with small figurines placed before him. The painting is conservatively estimated to sell for between 1 million and 1.5 million euros, according to auctioneer Christophe Joron-Derem.
"This painting is a very, very important work due to its format and the period in which it was created. We are really looking at Renoir's perfect mastery of his art," emphasized Pascal Perrin, an art historian specializing in Renoir's work. The painting was created during the years 1890-1895, a period considered to be among Renoir's most accomplished.
The remarkable story of the painting's provenance adds to its extraordinary significance. The work originally belonged to Jeanne Baudot, Renoir's only student and close friend of the master. She kept the painting in her home in Louveciennes, in the Yvelines region, where Auguste Renoir had established his studio. Baudot preserved the work until her death in 1957, after which it was bequeathed to her "spiritual son" Jean Griot.
Jean Griot was a notable figure in his own right - a resistance fighter during World War II, a member of General de Gaulle's cabinet, and later director of Le Figaro newspaper in the 1970s. The painting remained in the possession of Griot's heirs until his death in 2011, maintaining an unbroken chain of private ownership for more than a century.
"This is a painting that has never left the family, had never been seen publicly, and wasn't even listed in the Wildenstein archives," explained Joron-Derem, referring to the major reference source in the art world. The work has now been authenticated and received a reference number to be included in the catalogue raisonné of the painter's works, which serves as the official inventory.
Gabrielle Renard, the subject depicted alongside young Jean, holds a special place in Renoir family history and the artist's body of work. She entered the service of Aline Charigot, Renoir's wife, at the age of 16 and devoted more than twenty years to raising the three Renoir sons. As a close family member, Gabrielle became one of Auguste Renoir's preferred models, appearing in nearly 200 of his paintings throughout her time with the family.
The painting's exceptional rarity is highlighted by the fact that only two similar subjects were painted in this manner by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. "A fairly similar painting is preserved in the collections of the National Gallery of Art in Washington," Joron-Derem noted, underscoring the significance of this discovery for both art historians and collectors worldwide. The upcoming auction represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a previously unknown work by one of the most celebrated masters of Impressionism.
