Still Life Almonds and Walnuts 1905

This is Pierre-Auguste Renoir's oil painting "Still Life Almonds and Walnuts." It's like he was playing with the tension between making something permanent versus making it fleeting. The brushstrokes are very present, look how the creaminess of the paint gives texture to the nuts and drapes. The paint is thinly applied, in short, dabbling strokes that evoke the momentary effects of light and color. Renoir's chosen a muted palette of earthy browns, soft greys and yellows with a few dabs of brighter tones. I think he’s trying to capture the subtle gradations of light, giving the nuts a feeling of warmth and tangibility. He’s basically saying, “Hey, these nuts are alive!” Or at least, they were. It’s like he’s having a conversation with Chardin and Manet, riffing on their still lifes, but adding his own little twist. All painters are magpies, stealing from each other! It makes me want to grab a brush and have my own conversation with Renoir.