Children's Book Explores Relationship Between Pierre-Auguste and Jean Renoir

A new illustrated children's book titled 'Due Renoir' explores the human and professional relationship between Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the famous Impressionist painter, and his son Jean Renoir, a master filmmaker. Written by Bolognese director Elisabetta Lodoli and illustrated by Viola Niccolai, the book is published by Edizioni Primavera as the second title in a cinema-themed series, following last year's volume on Vittorio De Sica's 'Miracle in Milan'. The narrative covers Jean's childhood at the family's country house Les Collettes near Cagnes, his discovery of talent, his first films, his escape to Hollywood during Nazism, and his return to Europe. A key episode is Jean's return from World War I wounded and without his mother, during which his father cared for him and gave him lessons on looking and art that influenced him for life. The book also details Jean's first love, actress Catherine Hessling (born Andrée Heuchling, called Dédée), whom Pierre-Auguste wanted as a model for his painting 'Le Bagnanti' and who later starred in Jean's early films including 'Nana' (1926). The volume visually shows how Jean's films often faithfully reproduced his father's paintings. The book is based on Jean's biography 'Renoir, My Father' and includes a quote from Jean: 'I spent my life trying to determine my father's influence on me.'