Seated Nude 1913

This is Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s ‘Seated Nude’, painted in oil, and it’s all about softness and warmth. Renoir’s approach, for me, is always about the pleasure of painting itself, that sensual engagement with the process. Looking at the surface, you can see these delicate layers of color, like he’s building up the form with these tiny, feathery strokes. It’s almost as if he’s caressing the canvas. The way he blends those fleshy pinks and peaches in her skin—it’s so tactile, you can practically feel the warmth radiating from the figure. There’s a particular area where the light hits her back, and you see these little dabs of white and yellow that just make the skin glow. It’s so alive, so full of light. I’m reminded a little of Titian, actually, especially in that effortless sensuality. Renoir’s not trying to hide anything; he’s embracing the joy of seeing and the joy of painting.