Translated by Bethszabee Garner
The Masters of Art collections are designed by Montblanc to pay tribute to personalities who have left their mark on the history of art. With its exceptional expertise and heritage cultivated since 1906, the Swiss company is now celebrating Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the 19th-century French painter, by creating pens similar to the pencils used by the artist. The artist, who captured light in his legendary group scenes, including Le Déjeuner des canotiers (1881), sees his body of work transformed into a series of elegant instruments made from noble materials that echo his career and, above all, his painting. Following collections dedicated to Vincent Van Gogh and Gustave Klimt, the Renoir collection is bright and multifaceted.
A heritage magnified by Montblanc
The Masters of Art Renoir edition aims to highlight the life of an avant-garde artist. A key figure in Impressionism, Renoir asserted his artistic freedom in the face of the rigid rules of the academy. Thanks to his unique way of applying paint to canvas, known as “impasto,” the prodigy distinguished himself with human compositions bathed in light. These details have stood the test of time and become Montblanc's primary inspiration for this new limited edition capsule collection.
Thus the first 4810 pen is shaped like a pencil made of olive wood. Echoing the trees so beloved by the artist, which he planted in his home in the south of France, the body and cap reflect the simplicity and sincerity of his world. Small touches of green, blue, yellow, pale pink, and gray paint added by hand mimic the bright splashes of color that make Renoir's paintings so unique.
The cap features a quote from the painter: “One morning, one of us ran out of black, so he used blue: Impressionism was born.” Montblanc illustrates its sophistication through a number of significant details: a gold clip representing two paintbrushes of different sizes, a hidden date signifying the beginning of Impressionism, and a delicate fan engraving. Like the other four pens in the collection, the 4810 can be used for drawing.
The same goes for instrument 8, which features one of Renoir's greatest works, Les Grandes Baigneuses (1899-1906). Inspired by his Ingres period, when the painter returned to a more sober style, the pen is adorned with the transitional date 1883. The hand-painted lacquer on the cap and the 18-karat solid gold silhouette echo the colors chosen for Renoir's painting. The bather depicted at the back of the canvas becomes the central figure of this jewel designed by Montblanc. The engraving is composed of several thousand tiny dots and lines. This exquisitely refined reinterpretation is enhanced by a delicate inlay resembling an antique frame with a diamond on the cap.
A multifaceted tribute
Combining luxury and craftsmanship, Montblanc revisits important periods in Renoir's life, notably through the 888 (porcelain) pens, the 161 (reminiscent of the artist's pearlescent phase), and the 92 (inspired by Renoir's most famous painting, Le Déjeuner des canotiers). With this third Masters of Art capsule collection, the Swiss company, which specializes in the manufacture of writing instruments, is firmly establishing itself in the artistic landscape alongside its artistic director Marco Tomasetta. The pictorial experience is reflected in prestigious accessories such as a notebook decorated with a reproduction of the painting Paysage (1916). Montblanc also offers a bottle of violet ink and a pair of cufflinks in ultramarine blue steel, a shade much loved by Renoir.
The Montblanc Masters of Art edition, Homage to Pierre-Auguste Renoir, is available on the website and in Montblanc stores.
