Renoir presented The Dancer at the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874. It depicts a charming, young blond girl who lifts her tulle skirts with a graceful gesture. Although the artist himself never identified the model, it is almost certain that her name was Henriette Henriot. She was young actress who posed regularly for the artist in the mid-1870s. Henriot probably posed for Renoir to earn money and to gain exposure, for she would achieve her modest fame only in the late 1880s, when she became known for her roles in light and often risqué comedies. Contrary to works by most of the other artists in the group, Renoir’s paintings were relatively well received.
The Dancer
oil on canvas • 142.5 x 94.5 cm
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Pierre-Auguste Renoir