Pierre Auguste Renoir: La Tasse de Chocolat

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

(1841-1919)


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La Tasse de Chocolat


Painted between 1877-1878


Oil on canvas


58.3 x 49.4 cm

This oil painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, created between 1877 and 1878, features Margot Legrand, one of his favorite models and close companions. Although the title La Tasse de chocolat suggests she’s drinking chocolate, the actual contents of the cup remain uncertain.


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Margot, a seamstress by trade, is portrayed here in the elegant setting of Parisian bourgeois life—dressed in fashionable clothing and jewelry, surrounded by refined decor. Renoir paints her not just as a sitter, but almost as a muse, capturing her presence with warmth and intimacy.


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Details in the painting hint at the global influences of the time: The embroidery on her lap likely comes from Algeria, while the porcelain cup appears to be Chinese. The floral wallpaper behind her reflects the Japanese aesthetic that was highly popular in late 19th-century France. These subtle elements connect the work to both Asian and Middle Eastern cultural currents of the era.