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Jean Renoir, Director, Beverly Hills, California

Date

April 11, 1972

Creator

Richard Avedon

Location

Raclin Murphy Museum of Art

This portrait of the great French film director Jean Renoir exemplifies Avedon's balance of visual simplicity and psychological complexity [...] Avedon was a great admirer of Renoir's films, and a brief meeting in France in 1958 only increased his desire to explore the filmmaker's visage and persona. The photographer visited Renoir in Beverly Hills in 1972, finding him in a home reminiscent of the South of France, filled with daylight and fresh flowers. On the wall was a portrait of Renoir as a child painted by his father, but when Avedon came to photograph him, he was in his 70s, sick and moving with difficulty. "There was something so moving about his face, "Avedon recalled, "and about his life and his work and what he stood for. He was one of the last people I felt in awe of." This portrait, the most famous image from the sitting, is typical of Avedon's work at the time, presenting a full-face bust, before a white background, concentrating on physiognomy and expression. The artist placed Renoir a little off center. The old man glances away from the camera, pulling the viewer's attention in the same direction and enlivening the composition. His asymmetrical face seems almost to reflect a number of different expressions at once. The wrinkle in his right brow narrows one eye and draws up one cheek, suggesting an attitude of thoughtful concern. By contrast, the other side of his face seems relaxed: his left eye is wide and dreamy, as if drifting in a contemplative reverie. He might be lamenting tragedies of the past or dreaming of a hopeful future. But it doesn't really matter what he is thinking or feeling, or indeed who he is. For Avedon's portrait--as they often do--transcends the individual to express the depths of human intellectual and emotional potential. from Acton, A History of Photography at the University of Notre Dame: Twentieth Century (Notre Dame, 2019)

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This portrait of the great French film director Jean Renoir exemplifies Avedon's balance of visual simplicity and psychological complexity [...] Avedon was a great admirer of Renoir's films, and a brief meeting in France in 1958 only increased his desire to explore the filmmaker's visage and persona. The photographer visited Renoir in Beverly Hills in 1972, finding him in a home reminiscent of the South of France, filled with daylight and fresh flowers. On the wall was a portrait of Renoir as a child painted by his father, but when Avedon came to photograph him, he was in his 70s, sick and moving with difficulty. "There was something so moving about his face, "Avedon recalled, "and about his life and his work and what he stood for. He was one of the last people I felt in awe of." This portrait, the most famous image from the sitting, is typical of Avedon's work at the time, presenting a full-face bust, before a white background, concentrating on physiognomy and expression. The artist placed Renoir a little off center. The old man glances away from the camera, pulling the viewer's attention in the same direction and enlivening the composition. His asymmetrical face seems almost to reflect a number of different expressions at once. The wrinkle in his right brow narrows one eye and draws up one cheek, suggesting an attitude of thoughtful concern. By contrast, the other side of his face seems relaxed: his left eye is wide and dreamy, as if drifting in a contemplative reverie. He might be lamenting tragedies of the past or dreaming of a hopeful future. But it doesn't really matter what he is thinking or feeling, or indeed who he is. For Avedon's portrait--as they often do--transcends the individual to express the depths of human intellectual and emotional potential. from Acton, A History of Photography at the University of Notre Dame: Twentieth Century (Notre Dame, 2019)
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  • This portrait of the great French film director Jean Renoir exemplifies Avedon's balance of visual simplicity and psychological complexity [...] Avedon was a great admirer of Renoir's films, and a brief meeting in France in 1958 only increased his desire to explore the filmmaker's visage and persona. The photographer visited Renoir in Beverly Hills in 1972, finding him in a home reminiscent of the South of France, filled with daylight and fresh flowers. On the wall was a portrait of Renoir as a child painted by his father, but when Avedon came to photograph him, he was in his 70s, sick and moving with difficulty. "There was something so moving about his face, "Avedon recalled, "and about his life and his work and what he stood for. He was one of the last people I felt in awe of." This portrait, the most famous image from the sitting, is typical of Avedon's work at the time, presenting a full-face bust, before a white background, concentrating on physiognomy and expression. The artist placed Renoir a little off center. The old man glances away from the camera, pulling the viewer's attention in the same direction and enlivening the composition. His asymmetrical face seems almost to reflect a number of different expressions at once. The wrinkle in his right brow narrows one eye and draws up one cheek, suggesting an attitude of thoughtful concern. By contrast, the other side of his face seems relaxed: his left eye is wide and dreamy, as if drifting in a contemplative reverie. He might be lamenting tragedies of the past or dreaming of a hopeful future. But it doesn't really matter what he is thinking or feeling, or indeed who he is. For Avedon's portrait--as they often do--transcends the individual to express the depths of human intellectual and emotional potential. from Acton, A History of Photography at the University of Notre Dame: Twentieth Century (Notre Dame, 2019)
  • This portrait of the great French film director Jean Renoir exemplifies Avedon's balance of visual simplicity and psychological complexity [...] Avedon was a great admirer of Renoir's films, and a brief meeting in France in 1958 only increased his desire to explore the filmmaker's visage and persona. The photographer visited Renoir in Beverly Hills in 1972, finding him in a home reminiscent of the South of France, filled with daylight and fresh flowers. On the wall was a portrait of Renoir as a child painted by his father, but when Avedon came to photograph him, he was in his 70s, sick and moving with difficulty. "There was something so moving about his face, "Avedon recalled, "and about his life and his work and what he stood for. He was one of the last people I felt in awe of." This portrait, the most famous image from the sitting, is typical of Avedon's work at the time, presenting a full-face bust, before a white background, concentrating on physiognomy and expression. The artist placed Renoir a little off center. The old man glances away from the camera, pulling the viewer's attention in the same direction and enlivening the composition. His asymmetrical face seems almost to reflect a number of different expressions at once. The wrinkle in his right brow narrows one eye and draws up one cheek, suggesting an attitude of thoughtful concern. By contrast, the other side of his face seems relaxed: his left eye is wide and dreamy, as if drifting in a contemplative reverie. He might be lamenting tragedies of the past or dreaming of a hopeful future. But it doesn't really matter what he is thinking or feeling, or indeed who he is. For Avedon's portrait--as they often do--transcends the individual to express the depths of human intellectual and emotional potential. from Acton, A History of Photography at the University of Notre Dame: Twentieth Century (Notre Dame, 2019)
Richard Avedon (American, 1923 - 2004)
April 11, 1972
Photographs
Gelatin silver print
1976.023.001
busts
film directors
physiognomy
portraits
© The Richard Avedon Foundation
Not on view, please request access
16 5/8 x 15 7/8 in. (42.3 x 40.2 cm)
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Christian Fund in honor of Director Emeritus, Rev. Anthony J. Lauck, C.S.C., ND '42

Our collection information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. If you have spotted an error, please contact Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at RMMACollections@nd.edu.