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Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a prominent French painter and a well-known figure of the Impressionist movement. His style is characterized by short, broken brushstrokes, the use of complementary colors, and depictions of natural light. Renoir’s main source of income came from his work as a portrait painter for upper middle class society. However, his frequent travels to Algeria, Italy, and Provence greatly impacted his work, changing his style and expanding the subjects of his paintings. By 1881, he broke away from the Impressionist movement to create art inspired by the tradition of Classicism. Although Renoir is known primarily as a painter, he began experimenting with etching and lithography in the late 19th century. Label Type
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This etching depicts the profile of a known female Impressionist, Berthe Morisot. The visible indentation made by the metal printing plate along the edges of the image reveals the type of print medium employed by the artist. Although etching allows for great detail, this composition is quite simple, reduced to only the necessary lines. Nonetheless, it is an accurate portrayal of Morisot. While Renoir was primarily a painter he produced a number of etchings and lithographs, especially following his separation from the Impressionists.