2-735-518 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Mother and Child, 1886. In this idealization of motherhood and rural life, Renoir depicts his future wife, Aline Charigot, with their son Pierre. The pastel is a confection of bright colours: warm orange and yellow are contrasted with cool blues and greens, creating a chromatically exuberant image. Renoir took full advantage of pastel’s unique optical properties, in which minute, irregular particles diffusely reflect light, allowing for an unparalleled velvety brilliance that is perfectly suited to portray the youthful bloom of the woman and child.