Pensive Young Woman Leaning on Her Elbow 1908

Pierre-Auguste Renoir made this painting of a ‘Pensive Young Woman Leaning on Her Elbow’ with oil on canvas. I am really drawn to the brushwork in this piece. Look at how Renoir builds up the form with layers of small, soft brushstrokes. The paint isn't too thick but it's not too thin either, it is somewhere in the middle. This method of painting is all about capturing the subtle shifts in light and shadow. The redness of her skin and shawl, especially around her cheek, isn't just a color; it's an emotion. It makes you wonder what she is thinking, like a little window into the mind of the artist. Renoir's work reminds me of Fragonard and other French painters. They all seem to be having a conversation with each other across time, questioning each other's interpretation of beauty. It's like they are saying, "What is beauty? Is it perfection, or is it the imperfection of emotion?" I think art embraces both.