Mère donnant le sein 1955

This tender 1955 exhibition poster features Mère donnant le sein by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, reproduced for the Galerie Durand-Ruel to promote an important exhibition of works from the Maurice Gangnat collection. Held from July 4 to September 30, 1955, the show was a key cultural moment, gathering works meant to form the basis of the future Renoir Foundation in Cagnes-sur-Mer.

The artwork itself is an intimate and luminous example of Renoir’s mature style, celebrating the timeless theme of motherhood. A young mother, seated in rustic simplicity, gazes outward with quiet strength as she nurses her child. The scene is rendered in soft, enveloping tones of pink, blue, and ochre, with Renoir’s signature brushwork creating a sense of warmth and serenity. The mother’s face, rounded and serene, echoes the fullness and tenderness that defined Renoir’s late portraits of women. The child, nestled in soft fabric and the crook of her arm, radiates the innocence of early life, making the painting a gentle ode to maternal care.

Displayed on this original lithographic poster, the image is accompanied by Renoir’s flowing red signature and details of the exhibition printed in a clean, classic serif. This design underscores the timeless appeal of the artist’s vision while rooting the poster firmly in the cultural programming of mid-century Paris. It is a rare and moving document from a postwar period still seeking beauty, reassurance, and continuity in the works of the great masters. Mère donnant le sein reminds viewers not just of Renoir’s painterly brilliance but of his enduring humanism.

Exhibition - Woman

Galerie Durand Ruel

Mourlot Paris

Good condition, slightly damaged margin