Portrait of a Young Woman (Portrait de jeune femme)

This 1885 Barnes Foundation portrait, painted during Renoir's Ingres period, shows a young woman in a straightforward three-quarter view that reflects his renewed commitment to draughtsmanship after his sense that Impressionism had led him into 'blind alleys.' The anonymous sitter represents Renoir's ideal of feminine beauty as he reconceived it in the 1880s — more solid and sculptural than the shimmering figures of his 1870s Impressionist peak. The Barnes Foundation's collection of such transitional portraits is unparalleled and reveals the sustained quality of Renoir's work even during a period of stylistic uncertainty.

The 1885 style shows a firmer line and more careful modelling than his Impressionist peak. The face is constructed through subtle tonal gradation rather than visible brushstrokes. The background is warm and relatively plain, focusing all attention on the figure. Colour is warm but more restrained than his typical period work.