Cagnes Landscape 1910

This landscape painting of Cagnes, was probably made by Renoir in the early 20th century, with oil on canvas. The way Renoir approaches painting is like a process, a dance between what he sees and what he feels. Look closely at the surface of the painting. You’ll see that Renoir is not trying to hide his process. The paint is applied in these visible, feathery strokes. In the trees on the right, the colours vibrate against each other. This area feels almost unfinished, as though he wants to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. And then there’s the sky. Big, chunky swirls of blue, grey, and white that give it a real sense of depth and movement. I can almost feel the breeze coming off the water. What's interesting is the similarity to Cezanne's landscapes; both were trying to capture something beyond just a visual likeness. It’s not about perfection, but about feeling.