Marguerite-Thérèse (Margot) Berard - Auguste Renoir

A delicate 1879 portrait of Marguerite-Thérèse Berard by Auguste Renoir, capturing the soft light and natural expression of childhood.

Painted in 1879, this portrait depicts the young Marguerite-Thérèse Berard, daughter of the diplomat Paul Berard. Renoir maintained a close association with the Berard family, who became significant patrons of his work during the late 1870s. This commission captures the subject at the age of five, reflecting the artist's ability to render the delicate features of childhood through his characteristic soft-focus technique. The composition is intimate, focusing on the subject's face against a dark, atmospheric background. Renoir employs a light palette for the skin tones, contrasting with the deep, muted tones of the child's clothing and the surrounding space. His brushwork is fluid, avoiding rigid outlines to create a sense of movement and warmth. The light catches the subject's hair and eyes, drawing attention to her expression. This work demonstrates the artist's interest in capturing fleeting moments and the natural charm of his sitters, a hallmark of his portraiture during this period. Renoir's approach to this portrait avoids formal stiffness. Instead, he focuses on the softness of the child's complexion and the gentle quality of light. The painting remains a clear example of his style, where the application of paint creates a tactile quality on the canvas. The work is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is recognised for its technical execution and its connection to the artist's social circle in late nineteenth-century France.