Woman in a Landscape 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir made this oil painting, *Woman in a Landscape*, with rapid strokes of color building up the scene. The artist has applied thin layers of paint, creating a sense of light and movement. Look closely, and you'll notice how the brushwork is visible, adding texture and depth to the composition. Renoir used these qualities of the oil medium to enhance the viewer's experience, immersing them in the scene. Consider, too, that paint is itself a manufactured substance, made by industrial processes that were well-established in Renoir’s time. He had an unprecedented variety of colors to choose from. Impressionist painters like Renoir were among the first to really exploit this new availability, revolutionizing color in painting forever. So, next time you look at a painting, remember to think about the materials and processes that brought it to life; and how these connect to the wider world around us.