Study of a Young Girl (Mademoiselle Murer) 1882

Editor: Here we have Renoir’s “Study of a Young Girl (Mademoiselle Murer),” from 1882, rendered in oil paint. It’s striking how the loose brushwork gives the painting an almost ethereal quality. What’s your perspective on this piece? Curator: The interesting thing is not just Renoir's touch, but also the commodification of portraiture during the late 19th century. Consider the ready availability of oil paints during this period; how did industrialization and access to cheap materials change the way artists viewed their craft and how it changed the system of patronage? Editor: That's a great point. How did the increasing affordability affect his subject matter, like his choice of a ‘young girl’ here? Curator: The focus on portraiture became less about immortalizing the elite and more about capturing everyday life and middle-class subjects. What's important to notice is how Renoir uses materials like canvas and mass produced paint. Renoir's own career trajectory as a commercial painter and this affected subject and process. Do you think this painting captures that shift? Editor: Absolutely! There’s an informality to it, very intimate and quite lovely. The labor aspect you mentioned makes me think differently about Renoir and portraiture in general. It’s much more democratic in the way the product and the audience relates. Curator: Right! Seeing it within that social context is vital. Editor: This helps me understand more deeply what I'm looking at. Thanks for sharing that with me!