A Pennsylvania woman believes a sketch bought for $12 may be an unnamed piece by the French Impressionist master Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Heidi Markow, the owner of Salvage Goods in Easton, Penn., made a routine trip to an auction in Montgomery County in January 2025 to source items for her antique store. When she purchased a figure drawing for a humble price, she was stunned at the artist’s signature she later discovered.
Etched into the piece appears to be the name “Renoir.” The label also suggests the former owner of the sketch previously donated it to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Markow tells us that the drawing once belonged to the Madeira family, a prominent group of art collectors in the Philadelphia fine art scene. The family donated 22 Impressionist paintings to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1963.
The alleged Renoir sketch’s most recent owner was likely the late Helen Tyson Madeira, who died in 2014. Madeira was the great-grandchild of John A. Roebling, the architect who designed and built the Brooklyn Bridge. She funded several local art and music initiatives in her lifetime.
The alleged Renoir signature on the drawing Markow purchased at auction.
Heidi Markow
Markow, who received her own Certificate of Appraisal from The Asheford Institute of Antiques in 2024, has long had an eye for artistic talent. “Throughout my career, I’ve come across many interesting items, but this potential Renoir discovery is truly unprecedented in my experience,” Markow tells PEOPLE. “The exquisite lines and the masterful shading of light truly showcase Renoir’s genius.”
The late Renoir’s work has continued to inspire artists and fashion designers worldwide. Born in 1841, he is widely regarded as a father of the Impressionism school of painting and died in 1919 at 78.
Among Renoir’s most notable paintings are Dance at Bougival, Bal du moulin de la Galette, and Two Sisters.
Markow believes this rare sketch could depict Renoir’s wife, Aline Charigot, in approximately the mid-19th century. “From my research, I’ve learned that Aline was a seamstress from Essoyes who met Renoir around 1879 when she was 21 and he was 38. She started as his model and lover, appearing in many of his famous works including Luncheon of the Boating Party,” says Markow.
“What’s fascinating about this drawing is how it captures the features that Renoir was drawn to in Aline — her rosy cheeks and skin that took the light well. I’m struck by the soft, atmospheric quality of the charcoal, which beautifully renders her gentle features.”
Markow is considering her next steps carefully but plans to submit the piece to the Wildenstein Plattner Institute’s catalog on April 10. The Institute is a non-profit private foundation in New York City, founded in 2016.
“My primary goal would be to ensure it finds a home where it can be properly appreciated and cared for,” Markow tells PEOPLE. “I believe artworks of this significance deserve to be seen and studied.”
“Whether that means selling it to a collector who truly values Impressionist art or exploring options for it to be displayed in a museum setting, I want to make sure this potential masterpiece receives the recognition and care it deserves.”
