Fountain pen Masters of Art Homage to Pierre-Auguste Renoir Limited Edition 888 (M)

Throughout history, great artists have recounted the human experience in a universal language of form and beauty. The Montblanc Masters of Art collection honors their timeless contribution to the pursuit of perfection in art—a pursuit that Montblanc celebrates and participates in. Pierre-Auguste Renoir is one of the greatest precursors of modernism, whose sun-drenched paintings set the tone for an entire movement: Impressionism. In tribute to this important pioneer of French art and to the masterpieces (such as Bal du moulin de la Galette from 1876 and Déjeuner des canotiers from 1881) of his so-called “pearly” period, Montblanc has created the Masters of Art Hommage à Pierre-Auguste Renoir Limited Edition 161. The shimmering quality of this “pearly period” is reflected in the unconventional choice of materials for this limited edition: 750/1000 gold and 925/1000 sterling silver, combined with mother-of-pearl inlays, themselves formed layer by layer beneath the waves of the ocean. The resulting structure, with each layer refracting light to create an iridescent play of colors, gives mother-of-pearl remarkable hardness and aesthetic appeal—properties that made it one of the most fascinating materials for jewelers of the Belle Époque. One of Renoir's works from his “pearly period” is Woman with a Hat, completed in 1891. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, the young woman appears absorbed, perhaps in a melody, which echoes the masterful composition of colors Renoir uses in this portrait: her delicate features, the slightly blurred background, and the white of her ruffled blouse shifting from bright silver accents to a darker shade of gold and delicate mauve. This color palette is reflected throughout the writing instrument: in the Montblanc emblem in mother-of-pearl set in the shimmering blue-violet striped chalcedony of the crafted cap; in the 750/1000 gold attributes and the incomparable three-dimensional relief in 925/1000 sterling silver on the cap; in the iridescence of the mother-of-pearl inlays on the body. The upper ring of the cap, in 750/1000 gold, is engraved with the year 1888, which marks the beginning of Renoir's “mother-of-pearl period.” The platinum clip, which resembles two brushes of the type used by Renoir to create the fine details and larger surfaces of his masterpieces, is an eye-catching feature. 
In homage to Renoir's talent as a draftsman, a sterling silver Ag 925/1000 nib is integrated into the 750/1000 gold cone, allowing the wearer to create their own sketches with the silver nib. Renoir used a combination of painting techniques during his “pearly period” to create the motif of Young Girls at the Piano. To emphasize the balance and aesthetics of the scene, Renoir drew inspiration from the golden ratio. This “divine proportion” (1.618...), which promises perfect beauty through mathematical means, can be found both in nature and in the composition of many of the world's most admired works of art - and also describes the relationship between the size of the cap and the body in the Masters of Art collection. This key to harmony is represented by the Greek letter Phi, which adorns the 750/1000 gold nib, partially rhodium-plated and handmade, and framed by delicate bouquets of flowers, so often present in Renoir's most important works. In reference to the golden ratio, which underlies the harmonious composition of many of his masterpieces, the Masters of Art Hommage à Pierre-Auguste Renoir Limited Edition 161 is limited to 161 pieces.

Ident No. 132057
Color: Multicolored
Mechanism: Fountain pen
Dimensions: 146 x 21.7 mm
Physical weight: 96.5 g