Woman Daydreaming 1913

Renoir made this painting of a daydreaming woman with oils, and look at how he's layering the strokes! The painting feels super tactile, doesn’t it? Like you could run your fingers over the canvas and feel the little peaks and valleys of the paint. It's not trying to trick you into thinking it's real life; it’s all about the paint itself. Take a close look at the way the light catches on her bare shoulders. The color is so soft and warm. See those little dashes of orange in her skirt? They vibrate against the pink, giving the whole thing a kind of glow. It reminds me of some of Bonnard's paintings, where color creates a kind of hazy, dreamlike space. Ultimately, this is a painting that doesn't want to be pinned down. It’s more like a feeling, a fleeting moment captured in paint.