Le chapeau épinglé (Pinning the hat)

One of the greatest masters of French Impressionism who remains best-known for his paintings, Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) created slightly over fifty original etchings or lithographs during his lifetime. His first original graphic work of art was created in 1890 and, during the following ten years, he was encouraged to produce more etchings and lithographs by his friends, such as the etcher Roux-Champion and the publisher Ambrose Vollard. The themes of Renoir's original prints are very much akin to those of his paintings; scenes of people he admired, children, bathers, nudes, all examined in the ever-changing light of the moment.

The subject of Le chapeau épinglé  ('The Pinned Hat' / 'Pinning the Hat') was depicted by him in six different prints, three etchings and three lithographs. Renoir treated this scene of two young girls side by side, with one of them pinning on the other's hat, in a series of variations at this time. His models were Julie Manet, the daughter of Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot and niece of Edouard Manet, and her cousin, Paulette Gobillard. The scene originated from a study Renoir made while on holiday on the coast of Northern France with Morisot and her family. Julie Manet was a favorite model for Renoir and on this occasion he drew her on the beach with her cousin who was adjusting the pin on her large sun hat.

This impression of Le chapeau épinglé   is the second state of the third and final etched variation. It was commissioned by Dentu in Paris in 1894 for Gustave Geffroy's art journal, La Vie artistique. It later appeared in Georges Rivière's Renoir et ses Amis, published in Paris in 1921. There are a number of modern re-strikes of this etching. We can determine the differences of these editions by the papers used and their dimensions. First edition (1894) impressions, such as this original example, were printed upon light cream laid paper with small outside margins of slightly over 150 by 100 mm. These impressions were also very finely printed. Second edition (1921) impressions were printed upon smooth wove paper with large margins. Finally, modern re-strikes appear on thin, white laid paper with large margins. Their printing is very pale and even.

See: Busacca Gallery, http://www.busaccagallery.com/catalog.php?catid=117&itemid=4023#\

Dr Mark Stocker   Curator, Historical International Art   May 2018