Art Institute of ChicagoPublic domain

Alfred Sisley

Pierre-Auguste Renoir · 1876

Provenance

Ownership history

The artist (d. 1919); sold to Eugène Murer, Paris, by Apr. 1883 [as part of a lot of eleven paintings sold for 500 francs per Bailey 1997]; deposited with Durand-Ruel, Paris, 1883 [this and the following per Durand-Ruel, Paris, deposit book for 1879–84 (no. 3913, as Portrait de Sisley), as confirmed by Paul-Louis Durand-Ruel and Flavie Durand-Ruel, Oct. 5, 2010, curatorial object file]; returned to Eugène Murer, Paris, 1883; possibly sold by Eugène Murer, Paris, to Durand-Ruel, Paris, 1896 [according to Daulte 1971; Bailey 1997 states that the painting was sold to Durand-Ruel “at the time of the dispersal of his [Murer’s] collection,” although the Durand-Ruel Archives claim that the statement is false, as they have no record of ownership at the time, Paul-Louis Durand-Ruel and Flavie Durand-Ruel, Durand-Ruel Archives, to the Art Institute of Chicago, Oct. 5, 2010, curatorial object file]. Ivan Shchukin, Paris, by Mar. 1899 [Bailey 1997 states that Durand-Ruel sold the painting to the Russian collector Ivan Shchukin; the Durand-Ruel Archives disagree: “faux, pas vendu par Durand-Ruel Paris à Chtchoukine [sic].” See correspondence from Claire Durand-Ruel Snollaerts to the Art Institute of Chicago, Mar. 29, 2010, curatorial object file. See also Daulte 1971; Leclercq 1899 illustrates the painting and indicates that it is owned by Shchukin]; sold Shchukin Sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, March 24, 1900 to Dr. George Viau, Paris, for 6,100 francs [per Bailey 1997, although the Durand-Ruel Archives disagree: “faux, pas vendu par Durand-Ruel Paris à Chtchoukine [sic].” See correspondence from Claire Durand-Ruel Snollaerts to the Art Institute of Chicago, Mar. 29, 2010, curatorial object file. See also Daulte 1971; Leclercq 1899 illustrates the painting and indicates that it is owned by Shchukin]; Dr. George Viau, Paris, until at least June 20, 1912 [per Bailey 1997, it was exhibited by Durand-Ruel in Portraits par Renoir, June 5–20, 1912 (although the catalogue does not indicate this). See an archived verso label from the Collection George Viau, which includes a notation “Expo. Durand-Ru[el] 191[. . .]”; conservation file, Art Institute of Chicago]. Herman Beilbuth, by 1921 [per Ernst Jonas Bencard, Assistant Keeper, Ordrupgaardsamlingen, to the Art Institute of Chicago, Dec. 9, 1998, curatorial object file, Art Institute of Chicago]. Howard Young, New York [Daulte 1971]. Mrs. Lewis Larned (Annie Swan) Coburn (d. 1932), Chicago, by 1929 [Meier-Graefe 1929]; bequeathed to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1933.

Recorded by Art Institute of Chicago.

Exhibitions

Exhibition history

Paris, 6, rue Le Peletier, 3e exposition de peinture [third Impressionist exhibition], Apr. 1877, cat. 190, as Portrait de M. Sisley.
Rouen, Hôtel du Dauphin et d’Espagne, Magnifique collection d’impressionnistes dont 30 toiles du grand artiste Renoir, May 1896.
Expos. Rétrosp. 1900.
Dresden, Der Grosse Kunstausstellung Dresden 1904, Retrospekive Abteilung, May 1–end of Oct., 1904, cat. 2246, as Bildnis des Malers Sisley.
Possibly Paris, Grand Palais, Salon d’Automne, Oct. 15–Nov. 15, 1904.
Paris, Durand-Ruel, Portraits par Renoir, June 5–20, 1912, cat. 34, as Portrait de Sisley, 1876.
Barcelona, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Exposition d’arts Français, Salon d’automne, 1917, possibly exhibited, but not in cat.
Copenhagen, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Malerisale, August Renoir: Udstilling af hans Arbejder I Skandinavisk Eje samt Udlaan fra Franske Samlere, Mar. 17–Apr. 10, 1921, cat. 5.
Art Institute of Chicago, Exhibition of the Mrs. L. L. Coburn Collection: Modern Paintings and Watercolors, Apr. 6–Oct. 9, 1932, cat. 31 (ill.).
New York, Wildenstein and Company, Great Portraits from Impressionism to Modernism, Mar. 1–29, 1938, cat. 39.
Milwaukee Art Institute, Masters of Impressionism, Oct. 8–Nov. 15, 1948, cat. 39.
Art Institute of Chicago, Paintings by Renoir, Feb. 3–Apr. 1, 1973, cat. 16 (ill.).

Literature

Published references

Catalogue de la 3e exposition de peinture, exh. cat. (E. Capiomont et V. Renault, 1877), p. 13, cat. 190.
Georges Rivière, “L’exposition des impressionnistes,” L’impressionniste 1 (Apr. 6, 1877), p. 4.
Paul Sébillot, “Exposition des impressionnistes,” Le bien public, Apr. 7, 1877, p. 2. Reprinted in Ruth Berson, ed., The New Painting: Impressionism, 1874–1886; Documentation, vol. 1, Reviews (Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco/University of Washington Press, 1996), p. 190.
“Exposition des impressionnistes: 6, rue Le Peletier; 6,” La petite republique française, Apr. 10, 1877, p. 2. Reprinted in Ruth Berson, ed., The New Painting: Impressionism, 1874–1886; Documentation, vol. 1,Reviews (Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco/University of Washington Press, 1996), p. 176.
Émile Bergerat, “Revue artistique: Les impressionistes et leur exposition,” Journal officiel de la république française 105 (Apr. 17, 1877), p. 2918.
Trublot [Paul Alexis], “La collection Murer,” Le cri du peuple 43 (Oct. 21, 1887). Reprinted in Paul Gachet, Le docteur Gachet et Murer: Deux amis des impressionnistes (Musées Nationaux, 1956), p. 172.
Julien Leclercq, “Alfred Sisley,” Gazette des beaux-arts 21, 3 (Mar. 1899), pp. 227 (ill.), 534.
“Collection d’un amateur,” Gazette de l’hôtel Drouot 86–87 (Mar. 27–28, 1900), n. pag.
Camille Mauclair, “L’oeuvre d’Auguste Renoir,” L’art décoratif 41, pt. 1 (Feb. 1902), pp. 180, 182 (ill.).
Camille Mauclair, L’impressionnisme: Son histoire, son esthétique, ses maîtres, 2nd ed. (Librairie de l’Art Ancien et Moderne, 1904), pp. 112, 229. Translated by P. G. Konody as The French Impressionists (1860–1900) (Duckworth/E. P. Dutton, [1903]), p. 120.
Grossen Kunstausstellung, Offizieller Katalog der Grossen Kunstausstellung Dresden 1904, exh. cat. (Alwin Arnold & Gröschel, Apr. 30, 1904), p. 123, cat. 2246.
Henry Morrison, “Auguste Renoir, Impressionist,” Brush and Pencil 17, 5 (May 1906), p. 202.

Comparables