Heritage Auctions has announced its auction entitled The Unknown Renoir: The Man, The Husband, The Father, The Artist, which will see an array of art, memorabilia and personal items from the French impressionist painter.
 Renoir's private life is charted by his most personal items in the sale |
The auction will take place on September 19 in New York. It not only tracks the progression of Renoir's career, but also his vibrant personal life at the heart of Paris' burgeoning art scene.
Alongside a range of his lesser-known artworks and sketches will sit a selection of sculptures that Renoir (1841-1919) created in collaboration with Richard Guino, a young artist, who worked the clay as the aging artist developed rheumatoid arthritis at the turn of the century, leaving his hands severely limited.
A series of letters and correspondence between Renoir and his wife Aline are also set to feature. Aline Charigot married Renoir in 1890, yet she had already served as the model for several of his paintings and the pair already had a child together.
The letters reveal the most intimate details of Renoir's life, particularly his poor health in later days, and the tribulations of his career.
Collectors can also own a piece of Renoir's personal wardrobe, with his silk scarf and spectacles both appearing. There is also a selection of dresses and items worn by Aline, which can be seen in some of his most notable works.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has an important signed letter from Renoir for sale, in which he writes to Madame Charpentier, who is portrayed in his Madame Charpentier with Her Children.
