Head of a Girl
- Artist: Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Date: 1898
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the "Head of a Girl" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Painted in 1898, it's a beautiful example of the Impressionist movement. Renoir often used his servants as models, and this girl would have been among the youngest in service.
As you can see, she's depicted in profile against a simple, featureless backdrop. The artist's use of light and shadow is characteristic of the Impressionist style, and it gives the subject a sense of quiet contemplation.
Renoir worked with oil on canvas to create this piece, and his brushstrokes are loose and expressive. You can almost feel the texture of her hair and skin as you look at the painting.
The girl's face is what really draws your eye, though - it's so full of life and curiosity. Renoir was a master of capturing the subtleties of human emotion, and this portrait is no exception.
See it in person
Head of a Girl hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
