Bust of a Young Nude 1903

Here's Renoir's Bust of a Young Nude, painted sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Look at the way those brushstrokes build up the form, it’s all buttery and soft. Imagine Renoir, standing there, trying to capture the light as it hits the model’s skin. I wonder what he was thinking as he blended those pinks and creams, trying to capture the very essence of youthful beauty? The strokes of the brush create a texture that’s almost palpable. See how the hair falls? Each strand seems to have its own life. The physicality of the paint itself is part of the story here, a conversation between Renoir and his materials. Painters are always talking to each other across time. We all borrow, steal, and riff off what came before, trying to make something new out of something old. The act of painting is an ongoing process of inquiry, a way of seeing and experiencing the world that embraces uncertainty and welcomes multiple interpretations.