The artwork titled “Leontine Reading” is a portrait oil on canvas by the renowned artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, dated to 1909. As an exemplar of the Impressionist art movement, the painting embraces the characteristic brushwork and play of light. The genre of this piece is a portrait, and it currently resides within a private collection.
The artwork depicts a young woman engrossed in reading. Her head is bowed towards the reading material, showing her concentration and peaceful engagement with the text. Renoir’s use of color is striking, with the warm hue of her red blouse standing out against the softer, less defined background. The subject’s attire includes a patterned scarf with hints of lighter tones that complement the overall warm palette. The brushstrokes are loose and quick, capturing the fleeting moment and the essence of the subject rather than meticulous detail. Renoir’s signature is noticeable in the top right corner, lending authenticity and the artist’s personal touch to the canvas. The intimate nature of the scene, combined with the artist’s signature soft impressionist technique, evokes a sense of immediacy and tender familiarity with the subject.