Young Woman Seated on the Grass 1905

This painting of a young woman seated on the grass was made by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Look at the short, broken brushstrokes and the way he layers colours, like he's almost knitting with paint. I can imagine Renoir outside, squinting in the sunlight and thinking: how can I evoke the feeling of light and atmosphere? I reckon he probably had to work fast to capture the fleeting moment. See how the colour seems to vibrate and shimmer? The greens and yellows feel cool and shady while the reds and oranges give a sense of warmth. I like how the brushstrokes are loose and gestural. They give the painting a sense of energy, as though it's still in the process of becoming. Painters are always in conversation with each other across time. We are all constantly riffing off what’s come before, trying to push painting in new directions, seeing the world anew!