Banks of the River 1906

"Banks of the River" was painted by Pierre-Auguste Renoir with oil on canvas. It is a collection of lush greens and blues in broad brushstrokes that, when observed, create a realistic waterside scene. Imagine Renoir standing there, carefully mixing colours, trying to capture the light as it flickers on the water. There’s a real conversation happening between the artist, the paint, and the landscape. See how the touches of thick paint give the impression of the scene rather than describing every detail. The more you look, the more you can see this impression of the artist, Renoir himself. The earthy tones and quick strokes remind me of other impressionist painters of the time; they were all looking at the same world, the same river, but seeing something a little bit different, translating it into their own language of paint. It is almost like they were all in a band together. And aren’t we all, as artists, continuing that conversation, inspired by each other across time?