The magnificent work, characterized by a pronounced impressionistic style, was supposedly written from Alfonsina Fournaise, daughter of the owner of the Fournaise restaurant, who entered the history of art as decorations for some of Renoir’s paintings, as well as a place the artist loved to visit.
The image of the girl, recreated on the canvas, is fragile, fresh and tender. And this is not only because of the color palette, but mainly due to the special blurred technique of the painter. As if the camera lens snatched some elusive moment. We see how the face of the girl seemed to be in focus and can be seen clearly and clearly, while her hands and the background, on the contrary, are intentionally oiled. Dark eyes, slightly open mouth, small nose, bangs are depicted with extreme accuracy, and the nature of the background only enhances this accent.
Energetic short strokes and playing with color create a unique effect – the entire canvas is flooded with shining light that vibrates and shimmers as you move your gaze through the space of the picture.
Another interesting trick inherent in Renoir is the favorite writing out of the folds. The painter was very fond of carefully drawing the folds of clothes or furniture upholstery; this is his habit in this work expressed in the image of a fan, which, in addition to a clear line, also impresses with its picturesque color modulations.
After the work was completed, it was acquired by the famous patron of arts and connoisseur of impressionism, Paul Durand-Ruel, who gladly provided it for various exhibitions, until he sold it to our collector Ivan Morozov, asking for it 60 times the price paid by Renoir. So the wonderful picture turned out to be in Russia, where it remains to this day.
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