Water 1916

Editor: So, here we have Renoir’s bronze sculpture "Water", created in 1916, residing here at the Art Institute of Chicago. I'm immediately struck by the figure's inward gaze and the almost tactile quality of the bronze. What do you see in this piece, Professor? Curator: Ah, yes, Renoir's "Water". It speaks of the body's elemental connection to nature, wouldn't you say? Though he's celebrated as a painter, his late sculptures have a unique charm. Look closely at the roughness of the bronze, the way the light catches on those deliberately unfinished surfaces. What feelings does that evoke for you? Editor: I guess… a sense of immediacy, maybe? It doesn't feel polished or idealized, it's very… raw. Is that intentional, given the Impressionist background? Curator: Precisely! Renoir, even in his later years grappling with arthritis, sought to capture fleeting impressions, not just visual ones. The roughness, the distortion—some critics even saw it as clumsy at the time. But doesn’t it remind you of the very touch, the hands shaping the clay, forever preserved in bronze? Editor: It does! It’s almost like he's inviting us to touch it, feel the texture. So it’s not just *about* water, it’s also *about* the creative process? Curator: A splendid observation! Water, after all, is fluid, ever-changing, like the artist's own hand as he works. Plus, she's clearly no goddess but rather, just a regular woman...perhaps even reflecting something in Renoir himself as an older man! Isn’t art funny in that it shows ourselves to us even when we least expect it! Editor: That completely changes how I see it. It makes it more personal, less about idealized beauty. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Curator: My pleasure! Always remember, art is less about knowing, and more about feeling, my friend. Now, shall we move on to Monet?