A rediscovered Renoir painting, *L'enfant et ses jouets – Gabrielle et le fils de l'artiste, Jean* (created before 1910), sold for over €1.8 million ($2 million) at Hôtel Drouot in Paris on November 25. The intimate portrait of Renoir's young son Jean with his nursemaid Gabrielle had remained in the same private collection for over a century, never before published or exhibited. It was offered by auctioneer Christophe Joron-Derem in the "Tableaux Modernes" sale and purchased by an international buyer, with the hammer price of €1.45 million falling within the presale estimate.
This sale matters because it brings to light a previously unknown work by a major Impressionist master, offering fresh insight into Renoir's personal life and his relationship with his family. The painting's pristine condition and its direct descent from Renoir's only pupil, Jeanne Baudot, add art-historical significance. The result also underscores the enduring market demand for rediscovered works by blue-chip artists, even when they are intimate domestic scenes rather than major public compositions.