On the Terrace of a Hotel in Bordighera: The Painter Jean Martin Reviews His Bill (Illustration for Edmond Renoir’s “L’étiquette”) 1881

Pierre-Auguste Renoir made this ink drawing, "On the Terrace of a Hotel in Bordighera: The Painter Jean Martin Reviews His Bill," as an illustration for his brother Edmond's book, "L'étiquette." This work provides an interesting glimpse into the art world and social dynamics of late 19th-century France, particularly regarding the institutionalization of art. The image depicts a painter, presumably Renoir's colleague, in a moment of leisure, reviewing his expenses at a hotel. The setting, Bordighera, a fashionable resort town, suggests a certain level of financial comfort, yet the act of scrutinizing a bill hints at the economic realities artists faced. It's worth considering the role of the Renoir family within the Parisian art scene, and the interplay between art, commerce, and social status that this image subtly reveals. Art historians often consult letters, financial records, and period publications to further illuminate the cultural context of artworks like this.