Portret van kunsthandelaar Ambroise Vollard

About this artwork

Aankoop uit het F.G. Waller-Fonds

Art Historical Context

This 1919 lithograph by Pierre-Auguste Renoir captures the influential Parisian art dealer Ambroise Vollard, a pivotal figure in promoting Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. Created in the final year of Renoir’s life, the portrait reflects the artist’s enduring connection to the man who helped shape his legacy through exhibitions and sales. At this late stage, Renoir’s work often emphasized warmth and intimacy, qualities that likely extended to this print honoring a close professional relationship. Executed in lithography, a medium valued for its ability to reproduce subtle tonal effects and reach wider audiences than unique paintings, the work measures just 238 by 170 millimeters. Its modest scale suits the intimate nature of the portrait while highlighting Renoir’s continued exploration of printmaking techniques even as his physical mobility declined. The piece entered the collection through the F.G. Waller-Fonds, underscoring its importance within Dutch museum holdings of French modern art. Visitors can appreciate how this lithograph bridges Renoir’s Impressionist roots with the commercial and cultural networks that sustained the movement into the twentieth century.