Origin of 'The Lesson’ monogram

Apprentice Renoir, unobtrusively placed his initials in the hairline of the porcelain paintings of Empress Marie Louise. It amused him that M.Levy, owner of Levy – Freres at Rue du Temple Paris, didn’t see his 'initialling technique’ (1).

The audacious location of The Lesson Monogram, in all probability, is Sisley’s version. Would Renoir see the monogram placed in the hairline of Jeanne seated prominently in the painting (2).

The Lesson and Renoir’s portrait of Jeanne were completed in a period of artistic friendship at Louvecienne (1872 – 1876).

The precocious looking Jeanne in the intimate portrait must have been perplexed by her profile in The Lesson. How much easier it would have been to explain that the painting is a portrait of her brother Pierre and ”Uncle Renoir” would like to paint her portrait.

See Page: Portrait of Jeanne Sisley ©1875

Related works by Renoir :

Pierre Sisley © William Sisley dated 1864 Alfred Sisley 1864 and 1876

At the Inn of Mother Anthony dated 1866 A Couple ©1868

Renoir’s portrait appears to be an 'occasion’ for Jeanne.

Her hair has been prepared and her attire smartly presented.

The background indicates it was completed in the same room.

References:

(1) Initialling technique sourced in a publication on Impressionism.
Renoir My Father by Jean Renoir (Little, Brown & Company) cites anecdotal history of M.Levy’s handling of the apprentice Renoir from 1854 to 1858.

P60 – 61 Renoir’s profiles of Marie Antoinette were so successful, Mme.Levy had to persuade M.Levy to allow him to paint other historic portraits.
P68 – 69 Having studied the works of Watteau and Boucher at the Louvre Museum
’I longed to copy them on my porcelain…… I tried in vain to convince him’.

(2) If Renoir viewed The Footbridge, he will have seen the design of Sisley’s monogram.
See pages: The Footbridge Monogram, Origin of the Footbridge Monogram.