Portrait of Jeanne Durand-Ruel (Portrait de Mlle. J.)

This 1876 portrait from the Barnes Foundation shows Jeanne Durand-Ruel, daughter of Paul Durand-Ruel, the dealer who was Renoir's and the Impressionists' greatest commercial champion. Paul Durand-Ruel supported the Impressionists financially through years of public indifference and eventual American market breakthrough. Painting the dealer's daughter was both an expression of personal gratitude and a professional relationship. Jeanne is shown as a serious, self-possessed young girl — Renoir was particularly adept at capturing childhood's gravity and not just its charm. This portrait has been in the Durand-Ruel family's possession and the Barnes Foundation's collection.

Renoir paints Jeanne in a three-quarter format with a dark, loosely rendered background that focuses attention on the face. The girl's dark dress and pale face create a strong tonal contrast. The face shows careful, sympathetic handling — attentive to likeness and character rather than sentimentality. Brushwork is varied and responsive.