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Laundress and Her Child (Aline and Pierre)
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
In this idealization of motherhood and rural life, Auguste Renoir depicted his future wife, Aline Charigot, with their son Pierre. Bright colors, including warm orange and yellow, are contrasted with cool blues and greens to create a dramatic impact. 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.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineLaundress and Her Child (Aline and Pierre), c. 1886. Pierre-Auguste Renoir (French, 1841–1919). Pastel on brown paper; sheet: 81.5 x 65 cm (32 1/16 x 25 9/16 in.); mounted: 82.6 x 65.9 cm (32 1/2 x 25 15/16 in.); framed: 99 x 82.5 x 4.2 cm (39 x 32 1/2 x 1 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Alexander Ginn, 1977.167
