The Daughters of Catulle Mendès, Huguette (1871–1964), Claudine (1876–1937), and Helyonne (1879–1955)1888
The three daughters of the poet Catulle Mendès and the composer Augusta Holmès gather around a piano, one seated at the keyboard, one holding a violin and the youngest leaning in. More about this work
About this work
The three daughters of the poet Catulle Mendès and the composer Augusta Holmès gather around a piano, one seated at the keyboard, one holding a violin and the youngest leaning in. Renoir painted this large group portrait in 1888, when he had adopted a firmer, more linear manner, and the brilliant colours, crisp contours and decorative patterning reflect that change. The family’s love of music is the theme, and the girls are presented as performers in a domestic concert.
Written by Ochre Editions.
How it was made
- Oil paint
- Pigment ground in a drying oil, usually linseed. It dries slowly, so painters could blend on the canvas, build up thin translucent glazes, and rework a picture over weeks. Canvas replaced wooden panels in the 1500s because it is lighter and can be rolled.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
French, 1841–1919 · Born in Limoges; died in Cagnes-sur-Mer.
Renoir began as a painter of porcelain in Paris, then studied in Gleyre’s studio, where he met Monet, Sisley and Bazille. In the 1870s he was a central figure of Impressionism, painting Parisians at leisure in dappled light. A journey to Italy in 1881–82 led him towards firmer drawing and more classical compositions. Despite severe rheumatoid arthritis in later life he continued to paint, settling at Cagnes-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean, where he died.
Written by Ochre Editions.
Impressionism
Painters in 1870s Paris who worked quickly, often outdoors, to catch light as it changed.
Rights and the museum’s record
Public domain. The Met has dedicated this image to the public domain under CC0, so anyone may copy, adapt and use it, for any purpose, without asking. Our prints and files are reproductions made from the museum’s image; the museum doesn’t endorse them.
- Object number
- 1998.325.3
- Credit
- Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Type
- Paintings
- Department
- European Paintings
- Licence
- CC0 1.0 Universal
- Museum record
- See it on the museum’s site
Report this work
More by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
All their works
