Bonhams to offer 21 Renoirs from the Long-Held Collection of the Artist's Muse

Gifted directly from the artist to Gabrielle Renard (1878–1959), Renoir's longtime model and family nanny, these pieces have remained in Renard's family collection for more than a century. While a handful of the works were exhibited briefly during Renard's lifetime, most of the collection has never-before been seen publicly. The sale will run online from May 10–20 in New York.

"Gabrielle Renard's image is one of Renoir's most enduring visual signatures, appearing in major museum collections and art-historical literature worldwide," commented Frederick Millar, Senior Specialist, Impressionist & Modern Art at Bonhams. "A Lasting Impression offers a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity to acquire works by Renoir with such a uniquely personal and intimate provenance. Unframed and untouched, the pieces remain exactly as they were in Gabrielle's home, treasures preserved from an exceptional life. Their emergence now marks an extraordinarily rare occasion to encounter works privately cherished for generations, and we at Bonhams are deeply honored to steward such an exceptional and storied collection."

A distant cousin of Renoir's wife, Aline Charigot (1859–1915), Gabrielle Renard moved into the Renoir home in 1894, at just sixteen years old, where she served as a nanny to family's children for over twenty years, and became an indispensable presence in the artist's home and creative life. Swiftly, her role extended beyond the domestic sphere and into the studio, where Renard became one of Renoir's most trusted models – appearing in nearly 200 paintings and securing her place as one of the most iconic muses. Beyond her close relationship with the artist, Renard also developed a lifelong bond with the Renoirs' second son, the future filmmaker Jean Renoir (1894–1979), who credited her with nurturing his earliest creative curiosities and inspiring his future path in cinema.

Leading the sale is Fleurs, 1887, estimated at $500,000 – 700,000. Among Renoir's most iconic motifs – a blooming floral still life – the present work exemplifies a genre central to the artist's exploration of color and the material qualities of paint. Also prominent within the collection are an array of intimate portraits of Gabrielle Renard herself. Several highlights include: Portrait de Gabrielle, painted in 1910, estimated at $300,000 – 500,000; Gabrielle à la blouse blanche, painted in 1907, estimated at $220,000 – 330,000; as well as Portrait de Gabrielle, painted in 1913, estimated at $50,000 – 70,000.

In addition to the works featuring Gabrielle, another significant portrait offered in the sale is Portrait de Charles Le Cœur, painted in 1874, a pivotal moment when Impressionism reached its height. Estimated at $250,000 –350,000, the present work depicts one of Renoir's earliest and most influential patrons, whose support proved crucial during the artist's formative years.

Rounding out the collection are various impressive landscapes dating back to the early years of Impressionism, including the artist's Paysage nuageux, 1885, estimated at $180,000 – 250,000, as well as finished fragmentary works that illuminate Renoir's process, including Étude de roses, de têtes et de nus, painted circa 1905, estimated at $100,000 – 150,000.