Bust of a Young Woman in a Red Blouse 1915

Renoir made this portrait of a young woman in a red blouse, and what strikes me is the rosy atmosphere he’s conjured. I imagine Renoir dabbing his brush, building up color, working the hues over and over, to capture light. Look at the chromatic vibration of the background – purples, reds, oranges. You can almost feel him trying to find the perfect combination, that one right note that will pull it all together. It reminds me of my own studio practice, always searching for the perfect combination, the way forms resolve and dissolve, the push and pull. And, wow, look at the pink flush of her cheeks and the way the red of her blouse bounces color onto her skin. These soft transitions feel so tender. It reminds me of other impressionist painters, like Monet, who were also looking for ways to express emotion through color. We’re all just riffing off each other, trying to capture something ineffable. Painting is a constant conversation across time.