Pierre Auguste Renoir Le Chapeau Epingle The Pinned Hat 3rd Plate Appraisal

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Le Chapeau Épinglé (The Pinned Hat), 3rd Plate

This is a small-scale monochrome etching or drypoint on paper, attributed to the renowned French Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919). The work, titled 'Le Chapeau Épinglé' (The Pinned Hat), depicts two young girls, commonly identified as the daughter of Berthe Morisot and her cousin, focused on pinning a wide-brimmed floral hat. The composition is characterized by soft, delicate linework and dense cross-hatching typical of Renoir’s late 19th-century graphic style. The print is executed in black ink on a cream or off-white wove paper, which appears to have aged to a warm, light tan patina. Visible in the lower-left corner of the plate is the artist's etched signature 'Renoir'. The artwork is mounted within a multi-layered paper mat featuring a decorative double-line border in a reddish-brown ink. The condition shows some slight yellowing of the paper consistent with age, though the ink remains deep and well-defined. This plate was originally created circa 1894 and saw various posthumous editions in the early 20th century. The quality of the impression suggests a later state, likely from a book edition or a later restrike from the original plate. The piece displays the characteristic Impressionist focus on intimate, domestic scenes and the interplay of light and texture.