A Couple (Les Fiancés) also known as The Engaged Couple or Alfred Sisley and his Wife, is an oil-on-canvas painting by the French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919), created around 1868 during his early Salon period at a time when he focused on thematic works about couples. It was acquired by the Wallraf–Richartz Museum in 1912.Walther, Ingo F. (1999). Masterpieces of Western Art. A history of art in 900 individual studies. Volume II. Impressionism, Art Nouveau and Jugendstil (1860-1910). Taschen. p. 502.
Background Renoir and Alfred Sisley (1839–1899) both attended the studio of Charles Gleyre in the early 1860s. By 1865, they were good friends. Renoir painted Sisley's portrait several times, beginning with Mother Anthony's Tavern (1866).Tinterow, Gary. Henri Loyrette (1994). Origins of Impressionism . Metropolitan Museum of Art. pp. 304, 460-461, . . A letter from Renoir to artist Frédéric Bazille (1841–1870) in September 1869 identifies the woman at Sisley's side as Renoir's model Lise Tréhot (1848–1922). In the letter to Bazille, Renoir writes about his desperation for money: "I exhibited [the portraits of] Lise and Sisley at Carpentier's. I am going to try to stick him for about 100 francs, and I'm going to put my woman in white up for auction. I'll sell it for whatever price it goes for; it's all the same to me."Distel, Anne (1990). Impressionism: The First Collectors. Trans. by Barbara Perroud-Benson. Harry N. Abrams. p. 53. .House, John (1997). Pierre-Auguste Renoir: La Promenade. Getty Publications. p. 17. . .
Description Although Lise was Renoir's lover at the time of the painting, he had her pose with Sisley, who was also involved with another woman, Eugénie Lescouézec. Art historian Michael F. Zimmermann writes that "the result was the modern image of an engaged couple, as well as a genre portrait enlarged to life size. The painter presents the gentleman's caressing affection and the lady's grateful intimacy from the perspective of a close friend, who recognizes these gestures as habitual but none the less touching."Zimmerman, Michael F. (2012). "From Bohemia to Arcadia: Renoir Between Nervous Modernity and Primitive Eternity." In Nina Zimmer (ed). Renoir: Between Bohemia and Bourgeoisie. The Early Years. Hatje Cantz. pp. 15-50. . .
Analysis The painting shows the inspiration of Realism, particularly the influence of the work of Édouard Manet (1832–1883), although by this time Renoir was working towards his own personal style.White, Barbara Ehrlich (2017). Renoir: An Intimate Biography. Thames & Hudson. p. 28. . . The museum performed an X-ray in 2021, which revealed that an altogether different painting lies beneath the current work.Dege, Stefan (December 25, 2021). "How art restorers uncover hidden details in artworks". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
Influence Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) was a personal fan of Renoir, and at one time owned seven of his paintings.Covington, Richard (February 2010). "Renoir's Controversial Second Act". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved October 13, 2022. He was also a fierce defender of Renoir against his critics in the avant-garde.FitzGerald, Michael C. (1996). Making Modernism: Picasso and the Creation of the Market for Twentieth-century Art. University of California Press. p. 97. Inspired by A Couple (Les Fiancés), Picasso produced three pencil studies (Le Ménage Sisley) based on the work.Baldassari, Anne (2008). Picasso and the Masters. National Galleries of the Grand Palais (France), Musée du Louvre. Quote: "In addition, he produced three pencil studies entitled Le Ménage Sisley (Paris, Picasso Museum, MP 868; Berlin, Neue Nationalgalerie, Sammlung Heinz Berggruen), direct quote from Renoir's painting Le Couple Sisley.
See also List of paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
References
External links Description at the Wallraf–Richartz Museum.