Les Alpes Mancelles (sarthe) - Mary Renard (1849–1925)

Large oil on canvas signed “Mary Renard” in the lower left corner and dated 1899, in its original frame. The work likely depicts the Alpes Mancelles in the Sarthe department. The canvas has been restored (previous restorations; see photos of the back and photo #7) and has a very small tear measuring less than 1 cm (see photo #8). Dimensions: 99 x 134.5 cm (viewable area); 109 x 143.5 cm (with frame).

Marie Céleste Prudent Renard, known as “Mary Renard,” born on August 23, 1849, in Colonard-le-Buisson and died on October 10, 1925, in Alençon, was a painter and curator at the Alençon Museum. Her parents were farmers. She lost her father at the age of 7 and her mother a few years later. She served in the War of 1870; upon her return, she married and chose to settle in Alençon. He participated in the Salon in 1880 and exhibited *Autumn at Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei*. He was admitted to the Salon des Artistes Français in 1890 and became a member in 1894. He described himself as a student of Paul Saïn. He chose the landscapes of Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei as the subjects for the paintings he presented at the 1897 Salon. Deeply committed to the local architectural heritage, Mary Renard served as curator of the Alençon museums in 1910. He was the founding president of the Société des Amis des Arts. He died on October 10, 1925, in his studio at 38 Rue du Jeudi in Alençon. He left behind a prolific body of work that was highly regarded abroad during his lifetime, particularly in Germany, Austria, and even the United States.