Two Young Girls at the Piano

• Auguste Renoir (1841–1919)
• 1892
• Oil on canvas
• Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
• (1975.1.201)

In 1891, Auguste Renoir was commissioned by the French Ministry of Fine Arts to paint a work for the Musée du Luxembourg, marking a significant moment in the official recognition of Impressionism. The theme of girls playing music has deep roots in art history, and Renoir reinterpreted it with charming bourgeois sitters. In 1892, he produced four finished paintings of this scene, of which this is one. Renoir’s vibrant yet soft use of color and his delicate brushwork harmonize the figures with their surroundings.