Bather Drying Her Feet 1907

Editor: We're looking at Renoir's "Bather Drying Her Feet," painted in 1907. The application of oil paint makes the surface look so tactile! It has this air of quiet intimacy, wouldn’t you say? I am interested to learn about how Renoir approached the nude figure. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I think you've already touched upon its essence. It's true, isn’t it? A slice of life, but transformed into something so deeply personal. He wasn’t just painting a bather; he was painting the feeling of warmth on skin, the gentle awkwardness we experience as we dry off after bathing, but even moreso, I think, his love of the female form. Can you feel that in the brushwork? Editor: I do, now that you point it out! It is very romantic. There’s a sense of immediacy in it, of having caught her unaware. But it also looks timeless. Curator: Precisely. It is that contrast between intimacy and universality. His colours seem to suggest that the room itself is blushing along with her, don't they? Editor: Blushing! That's a lovely way to put it. He doesn't idealize, and the details such as the bun hairdo suggest that she is getting ready to go out somewhere. She could be anyone. Curator: Yes, a picture of the world. What do you take away? Editor: How Renoir used the intimate moment of everyday life as an access point for a reflection on universal and aesthetic beauty, even the beauty of simple moments! Curator: It shows the value of reflecting the feelings that moments in everyday life can offer us. Beauty surrounds us. I am pleased you saw this moment in this painting.