Woman at the fountain 1910

Renoir painted this "Woman at the Fountain" with oil on canvas, and the way the colors blend into each other, it's like watching paint itself become the subject. The surface has got this fuzzy, dreamlike quality, right? Like it’s not so much about the realness of the woman or the fountain, but more about the softness of light and shadow playing together. Check out how the white of the cloth swirls and thickens, creating these almost abstract patterns against the more muted tones of her skin and the wall behind. It’s like Renoir is saying, "Hey, let’s just luxuriate in the feel of paint, the way it can be both solid and totally elusive." The looseness makes me think a little of Manet, but with even less of an agenda. It’s like he’s whispering, "Art doesn't need to shout. It can just... be."