The Judgment of Paris 1914

Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted "The Judgement of Paris" in oil paint, and I can only imagine how exciting it must have been to lay down these strokes. Look closely at the nude figures and notice the soft, diffused light. It’s like Renoir is feeling his way through the scene, one brushstroke at a time. The texture here is so important. Renoir doesn’t hide his process. You can see the individual marks, the way he layers the paint to create depth and form. Notice how the figures seem to emerge from the background, their flesh almost blending with the surrounding landscape. The orange that Paris is offering to one of the Goddesses shimmers and vibrates with life. It’s a small detail, but it captures the sensual, almost tactile quality of Renoir's work. There’s a kinship with the late work of Titian here; the same love of the body and playful enjoyment of paint. It’s all about feeling your way through the world and embracing the messy, imperfect beauty of it all.