Earthenware Jug 1915

This earthenware jug was painted by Renoir at some point, we don’t know when, but I can see he was having a lot of fun! It's more about the act of painting than perfectly capturing the jug, right? Look at how the paint is dabbed and swirled, not trying to hide the brushstrokes, but instead making them part of the story. I love the way the red pops against the earthy browns and blues. It’s like he’s playing with how much information we need to recognise something. The surface is built up with layers, thick in some spots and thin in others, letting the canvas peek through, all that texture gives the jug a kind of wobbly, alive feeling. That blue line defining the jug’s edge – it's not perfect, and it doesn't need to be! It reminds me of Philip Guston's later work, how he embraced the awkwardness, the mess, and found beauty in it. Ultimately art is about seeing, and Renoir is showing us his way of seeing, messy and lovely.