Masters of Art Homage to Pierre-Auguste Renoir Limited Edition 888 Fountain Pen

Throughout history, great artists have conveyed the essence of human experience through a universal language of beauty and form. The Montblanc Masters of Art Collection pays tribute to their timeless contributions to the pursuit of artistic perfection—an endeavor that Montblanc both honors and actively engages in.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir stands as one of the leading pioneers of modernism, whose luminous paintings helped define an entire artistic movement: Impressionism. To celebrate this trailblazer of French art and his early days as a porcelain painter, Montblanc has crafted the Masters of Art Homage to Pierre-Auguste Renoir Limited Edition 888.

Renoir's remarkable mastery of painting can be traced back to his apprenticeship as a porcelain painter, which he began at just 13 years old at the Lévy brothers' factory in Paris. He refined his ability to paint delicate floral patterns, blending soft shades of blue with pure white porcelain—each brushstroke capturing nature’s elegance. One of the few surviving examples of Renoir’s porcelain artistry served as the inspiration for the Limited Edition 888. The cap and barrel are coated with a special lacquer designed to replicate the look of fine white porcelain. Beneath the translucent lacquer, an intricate engraved Louis XVI pattern is visible, reminiscent of the craftsmanship seen in silversmith pieces from that era. A particularly striking detail is the gold-framed lacquer motif on the cap, which features a reproduction of one of Renoir’s floral designs.

Atop the cap, a mother-of-pearl Montblanc emblem is encircled by varying shades of blue, a subtle nod to Renoir’s porcelain painting heritage. The platinum-coated cap top ring is engraved with the year 1854, marking the beginning of Renoir’s apprenticeship in porcelain painting.

One of the most distinctive elements is the gold-coated clip, shaped like two paintbrushes—symbolizing the tools Renoir used to create both the intricate details and broad, expressive strokes characteristic of his masterpieces. The cap’s design is elegantly completed with a wide, solid Au 750 gold lower cap top ring.

Adding to its artistic tribute, the handcrafted solid Au 750 gold nib—partially coated in rhodium—features an intricate engraving of a folding fan with two tassels. This design pays homage to the significance of the fan, an accessory frequently depicted in Renoir’s portraits of women. Furthermore, as a nod to Renoir’s exceptional draftsmanship, a silverpoint tip made of soft Ag 925 sterling silver is incorporated into the solid Au 750 gold, partially platinum-coated cone, allowing for the creation of silverpoint sketches of one’s own.