Pinning the Hat
Framed: 35 1/2 × 30 × 4 inches (90.17 × 76.2 × 10.16 cm)
Aquarelles, pastels et dessins par Renoir (1841-1919), Galeries Durand-Ruel, Paris, April 4-23, 1921, no. 39, as Jeunes filles arrangeant un chapeau.
Probably Renoir, Galerie Alfred Flechtheim, Berlin, October 7-November 9, 1928, no. 35, as Die Hüte.
Possibly Modern French Paintings: New Acquisitions, James Vigeveno Gallery, Los Angeles, June 20-August 31, 1954, unnumbered.
The Bloch Collection, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, June-August 1982, no cat.
Manet to Matisse: Impressionist Masters from the Marion and Henry Bloch Collection, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, June 9-September 9, 2007, no. 17, as The Flowered Hat (Le chapeau épinglé).
Painters and Paper: Bloch Works on Paper, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, February 20, 2017-March 11, 2018, no cat.
This work is also an informal portrait. The strawberry-blonde is Julie Manet, daughter of the Impressionist painter Berthe Morisot and niece of Edouard Manet. The brunette is likely one of Julie’s cousins. Renoir was close to the entire Manet family, occasionally painting both Berthe and Julie.
With the artist, Paris and Les Collettes, near Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, 1890-December 3, 1919;
Inherited by the artist’s family, Les Collettes, near Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, 1919-October 1922 [1];
By descent to the artist’s son, Pierre Renoir (1885-1952), Paris and Les Collettes, near Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, 1922-at least October 7, 1928 [2];
Possibly with Galerie Alfred Flechtheim, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Cologne and Frankfurt, Germany, by October 1928 [3];
Private collection, U.S., by 1929;
With James Vigeveno Galleries, Los Angeles, photo book 20, no. 1460, as Le Chapeau epinglé [sic], by July 1954 [4];
Purchased from James Vigeveno Galleries by George I. (d. 1984) and Myna Friedland (née Siegel, 1912-1995), Merion, PA, July 1954-1969;
To Myna Brady (formerly Mrs. George Friedland), by 1969-October 27, 1976 [5];
Purchased from Myna Brady (formerly Mrs. George Friedland) through John and Paul Herring and Co., New York, by Marion (née Helzberg, 1931-2013) and Henry (1922-2019) Bloch, Shawnee Mission, KS, 1976-present [6];
Given by Henry and Marion Bloch to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 2015.
NOTES:
[1] Distribution of Renoir’s paintings among his three sons did not occur until October 1922, a few months after the youngest son, Claude, came of age. Accordingly, an itemized inventory of Renoir’s paintings titled “Partage par lots” was drawn up, presumably with an indication of which painting went to which son. The “Partage par lots” is undated, however, a typed letter dated August 8, 1922 from Pierre Renoir to his cousin Eugéne suggests that it was drawn up in October 1922; see The Unknown Renoir: The Man, The Husband, The father, The Artist, Heritage Auctions, New York, September 19, 2013, lot 89007. Unfortunately, this document is not currently accessible to scholars.
[2] A photograph of this pastel in Julius Meier-Graefe, Renoir (Leipzig: Klinkhardt and Biermann Verlag, 1929), 261, is credited to Galerie Alfred Flechtheim, while the caption describes the pastel as being in a private U.S. collection. In the illustration index, the pastel is listed in Pierre Renoir’s collection.
[3] See footnote 2. The pastel was probably on exhibition at Galerie Alfred Flechtheim from October 7-November 9, 1928. It is possible that Pierre Renoir sold the pastel to Flechtheim who in turn sold the pastel to an American collector by 1929. According to Laurie Stein, President, L. Stein Art Research LLC, Chicago, and Senior Advisor for the Provenance Research Initiative at the Smithsonian Institution, Flechtheim records do not survive. See correspondence from Mackenzie Mallon to Laurie Stein, May 2015, NAMA curatorial files.
[4] See stock card, James Vigeveno Galleries records, 1940-1975, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
[5] George I. Friedland and Myna Friedland (née Siegel) married in 1946. Around March 1965, Mr. Friedland left the common home and moved to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. On February 10, 1966, Mrs. Friedland filed for divorce. After a series of legal injunctions it appears the appeal was taken to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (January Term 1969, No. 213). According to the Laurence H. Eldredge Papers, The University of Archives and Records center, University of Pennsylvania, a divorce was granted by the opinion of the court in 1969. Myna Brady (formerly Mrs. George Friedland) married Samuel P. Brady in 1971.
[6] In a telephone call with MacKenzie Mallon on May 7, 2015, John Herring relayed that John and Paul Herring and Co. had the pastel on consignment from Myna Brady (formerly Friedland).
Possibly Ambroise Vollard, Tableaux, Pastels et Dessins de Pierre-Auguste Renoir, vol. 2 (Paris: Ambroise Vollard, 1918), unnumbered, p. 87, (repro.) [repr. in Pierre-Auguste Renoir: Paintings, Pastels and Drawings (San Francisco: Alan Wofsy Fine Arts, 1989), no. 1169, p. 255].
Aquarelles, pastels et dessins par Renoir (1841-1919), exh. cat. (Paris: Galeries Durand-Ruel, 1921), unpaginated, as Jeunes filles arrangeant un chapeau.
Possibly Georges Rivière, Renoir et ses amis (Paris: H. Floury, 1921), 91, as Jeunes filles fleurissant leurs chapeaux.
Possibly Gustave Coquiot, Renoir (Paris: Albin Michel, 1925), 229, (repro.), as Jeunes filles fleurissant leurs chapeaux.
Probably Renoir, exh. cat. (Berlin: Galerie Alfred Flechtheim, 1928), 10, as Die Hüte.
Albert André, Renoir (Paris: G. Cres and Cie., 1928), unpaginated, (repro.), as Jeune Fille Arrangeant un Chapeau (pastel).
George Besson, Auguste Renoir (Paris: Les Éditions G. Crès et Cie, 1929), unpaginated, (repro.), as Jeunes Filles au Chapeau (pastel).
Julius Meier-Graefe, Renoir (Leipzig: Klinkhardt und Biermann Verlag, 1929), 261, 443 (repro.), as Sommerhüte.
Enrico Piceni, Auguste Renoir: 43 tavole (Milano: Ulrico Hoepli, 1945), unpaginated, (repro.), Giovinette.
John Rewald, ed., Renoir Drawings (New York: H. Bittner, 1946), 22, (repro.), as The Flowered Hat.
Possibly Modern French Paintings: New Acquisitions, exh. cat. (Los Angeles: James Vigeveno Gallery, 1954).
Masterpieces of French Painting from the Bührle Collection, exh. cat. (London: Arts Council of Great Britain, 1961), unpaginated.
Peter H. Feist, Auguste Renoir (Leipzig: Veb. E. A. Seemann, 1961), 66.
Possibly Jean Leymarie and Michel Melot, The Graphic Works of the Impressionists: Manet, Pissarro, Renoir, Cezanne, Sisley (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1972), unpaginated.
La vie parisienne: An Exhibition of French Coloured Lithographs, 1890-1900, exh. cat. (London: Thomas Agnew and Sons, 1972), 34.
Frances Carey and Antony Griffiths, From Manet to Toulouse-Lautrec: French lithographs 1860-1900: catalogue of an exhibition at the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum, exh. cat. (London: British Museum, 1978), 71.
“The Bloch Collection,” Gallery Events (The William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts) (June-August 1982): unpaginated.
Nagoya-shi Bijutsukan, Renoir Retrospective, exh. cat. (Nagoya: Chunichi Shimbun, 1988), 182, 252.
Unmasking Vollard: His Legacy of the Avant Garde, exh. cat. (Singapore: Capricorn Media, 2000), 130.
Deborah Wye, Artists and Prints: Masterworks from the Museum of Modern Art (New York: Museum of Modern Art, 2004), 35.
Rebecca Dimling and Bobbie Leigh, “100 Top Collectors Who Have Made a Difference,” Arts and Antiques 29, no. 3 (March 2006): 90.
Alice Thorson, "A final countdown: A rare showing of Impressionist paintings from the private collection of Henry and Marion Bloch is one of the inaugural exhibitions at the 165,000-square-foot glass-and-steel structure," Kansas City Star (June 29, 2006): B1.
Bobbie Leigh, “Magnificent Obsession,” Art and Antiques 29, no. 6 (June 2006): 62, as The Flowered Hat.
Richard R. Brettell and Joachim Pissarro, Manet to Matisse: Impressionist Masters from the Marion and Henry Bloch Collection, exh. cat. (Kansas City, MO: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 2007), 10, 15, 94-99, 159, (repro.), as The Flowered Hat (Le chapeau épinglé).
“A tiny Renoir began impressive obsession Bloch collection gets its first public exhibition,” Kansas City Star (June 2, 2007):
https://www.kansascity.com/latest-news/article294930/A-tiny-Renoir-began-impressive-obsession-Bloch-collection-gets-its-first-public-exhibition.html.
Alice Thorson, “First Public Exhibition: Marion and Henry Bloch’s art collection: A Tiny Renoir began impressive obsession Bloch collection gets its first public exhibition-After one misstep, Blochs focused, successfully, on French paintings,” Kansas City Star (June 3, 2007): E4.
“Lasting Impressions: A Tribute to Marion and Henry Bloch,” Member Magazine (The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art) (Fall 2007): 11, (repro.).
Guy-Patrice et Michel Dauberville, Renoir: Catalogue Raisonné des Tableaux, Pastels, Dessins et Aquarelles, vol. 2, 1882-1894 (Paris: Éditions Bernheim-Jeune, 2007), no. 1416, p. 460, (repro.), as Chapeau épinglé.
Carol Vogel, “Inside Art: Kansas City Riches,” New York Times 159, no. 54,942 (February 5, 2010): C26.
Alice Thorson, “Henry and Marion Bloch donate impressionist collection to the Nelson,” Kansas City Star (February 7, 2010): G1.
Caroline Joubert and et. al., L'estampe impressionniste: trésors de la Bibliothèque nationale de France: de Manet à Renoir (Paris: Somogy, 2010), 113.
A. Hyatt Mayor, Prints and People: A Social History of Printed Pictures (New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2013), unpaginated.
Diane Stafford, “Bloch Gift to Go for Nelson Upgrade,” Kansas City Star 135, no. 203 (April 8, 2015): A8.
Diane Stafford, “Bloch Family Foundation Will Finance Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Renovation,” Kansas City Star (April 8, 2015): https://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/visual-arts/article17804426.html.
“Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Officially Accessions Bloch Impressionist Masterpieces,” Artdaily.org (July 25, 2015): http://artdaily.com/news/80246/Nelson-Atkins-Museum-of-Art-officially-accessions-Bloch-Impressionist-masterpieces#.V6oGwlKFO9.
Nancy Staab, “Van Gogh is a Go!” 435: Kansas City’s Magazine (September 2015): 76, (repro.), as The Flowered Hat.
“Nelson-Atkins to unveil renovated Bloch Galleries of European Art in winter 2017,” Artdaily.org (July 20, 2016): http://artdaily.com/news/88852/Nelson-Atkins-to-unveil-renovated-Bloch-Galleries-of-European-Art-in-winter-2017-#.W-nfbpNKi70.
“Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art celebrates generosity of Henry Bloch with new acquisition,” Artdaily.org (October 18, 2016): http://artdaily.com/news/90923/Nelson-Atkins-Museum-of-Art-celebrates-generosity-of-Henry-Bloch-with-new-acquisition#.XL88c-TsaUk.
Catherine Futter et al., Bloch Galleries: Highlights from the Collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City, MO: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 2016), 89, (repro.), as The Flowered Hat.
Albert Hect, “Henry Bloch’s Masterpieces Collection to Go on Display at Nelson-Atkins Museum,” Jewish Business News (February 26, 2017): http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2017/02/26/henry-bloch-masterpieces-collection/.
David Frese, “Inside the Bloch Galleries: An interactive experience,” Kansas City Star 137, no. 169 (March 5, 2017): 1D, 4D, (repro.), as The Flowered Hat.
“Editorial: Thank you, Henry and Marion Bloch”, Kansas City Star (March 7, 2017):
http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article137040948.html.
Hampton Stevens, “(Not Actually) 12 Things To Do During The Big 12 Tournament,” Flatland: KCPT’s Digital Magazine (March 9, 2017): http://www.flatlandkc.org/arts-culture/sports/not-actually-12-big-12-tournament/.
Laura Spencer, “The Nelson-Atkins’ Bloch Galleries feature Old Masterworks and New Technology,” KCUR (March 10, 2017):
Victoria Stapley-Brown, “Nelson-Atkins Museum’s new European art galleries come with a “love story”,” Art Newspaper (March 10, 2017):
http://theartnewspaper.com/news/museums/nelson-atkins-museum-s-new-european-art-galleries-come-with-a-love-story/.
Harry Bellet, “Don du ciel pour le Musée Nelson-Atkins,” Le Monde (March 13, 2017):
http://www.lemonde.fr/arts/article/2017/03/13/don-du-ciel-pour-le-musee-nelson-atkins_5093543_1655012.html.
Menachem Wecker, “Jewish Philanthropist Establishes Kansas City as Cultural Mecca,” Forward (March 14, 2017): http://forward.com/culture/365264/jewish-philanthropist-establishes-kansas-city-as-cultural-mecca/.
Juliet Helmke, “The Bloch Collection Takes up Residence in Kansas City’s Nelson Atkins Museum,” BoulinArtInfo International, (March 15, 2017):
http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/2005267/the-bloch-collection-takes-up-residence-in-kansas-citys?utm_source=Blouin+Artinfo+Newsletters&utm_campaign=a2555adf27-Daily+Digest+03.16.2017+-+8+AM&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_df23dbd3c6-a2555adf27-83695841.
Erich Hatala Matthes, “Digital replicas are not soulless – they help us engage with art,” Apollo: The International Art Magazine (March 23, 2017):
https://www.apollo-magazine.com/digital-replicas-3d-printing-original-artworks/.
Louise Nicholson, “How Kansas City got its magnificent museum,” Apollo (April 7, 2017): https://www.apollo-magazine.com/how-kansas-city-got-its-magnificent-museum/.
Lilly Wei, “Julián Zugazagoitia: ‘Museums should generate interest and open a door that leads to further learning,’” Studio International (August 21, 2017):
http://studiointernational.com/index.php/julian-zugazagoitia-director-nelson-atkins-museum-of-art-kansas-city-interview.
Simon Kelly and Esther Bell, Degas, Impressionism, and The Paris Millinery Trade, exh. cat. (San Francisco: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, 2017), 240, 293, 295, (repro.), as The Flowered Hat.
Robert D. Hershey Jr., “Henry Bloch, H&R Block’s cofounder, dies at 96,” Boston Globe (April 23, 2019), https://www3.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2019/04/23/henry-bloch-block-cofounder/?arc404=true.
Robert D. Hershey Jr., “Henry W. Bloch, Tax-Preparation Pioneer (and Pitchman), Is Dead at 96,” New York Times (April 23, 2019): https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/obituaries/henry-w-bloch-dead.html.
Claire Selvin, “Henry Wollman Bloch, Collector and Prominent Benefactor of Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Is Dead at 96,” ArtNews (April 23, 2019): http://www.artnews.com/2019/04/23/henry-bloch-dead-96/.
“Henry Wollman Bloch (1922-2019),” Art Forum (April 24, 2019): https://www.artforum.com/news/henry-wollman-bloch-1922-2019-79547.
Frank Morris, “Henry Bloch, Co-Founder Of H&R Block, Dies At 96,” npr.org (April 24, 2019): https://www.npr.org/2019/04/24/716641448/henry-bloch-co-founder-of-h-r-block-dies-at-96.
Ignacio Villarreal, “Nelson-Atkins mourns loss of Henry Bloch,” ArtDaily.org (April 24, 2019): http://artdaily.com/news/113035/Nelson-Atkins-mourns-loss-of-Henry-Bloch#.XMB76qR7laQ.
Eric Adler, “Sold for $3.25 million, Bloch’s home in Mission Hills may be torn down,” Kansas City Star 141, no. 90 (December 16, 2020): 2A.
Brigid M. Boyle, “Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pinning the Hat, 1890 or 1893,” catalogue entry, and Rachel Freeman, “Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pinning the Hat, 1890 or 1893,” technical entry in Aimee Marcereau DeGalan, ed., French Paintings, 1600–1945: The Collections of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 2021), https://doi.org/10.37764/78973.5.656.
Anna Zsófia Kovács, Cécile Girardeau, and Paul Perrin, Renoir. A festő és modelljei / Renoir. The Painter and his Models, exh. cat. (Budapest: Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, 2023).
Colin B. Bailey and Sarah Lees, Renoir’s Drawings/Renoir Dessinateur, exh. cat. (New York: Morgan Library and Museum, forthcoming 2025).
