Madame Charles Fray 1901

Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted Madame Charles Fray with oils, at an unknown date. He's all about capturing light and fleeting moments, and you see that in his brushwork here. It's loose, almost feathery, like he's trying to catch the air around her. Looking at the painting's surface, the texture is soft, like velvet. The colors are warm, peaches and creams that give her skin a glow. Renoir wasn't trying to hide his process; you can see each stroke, each dab of paint that builds up her form. If you look closely at the ribbons on her dress, they’re these little bursts of pink that feel almost alive. They're not perfectly rendered, but that's the beauty of it. It's like he's capturing a feeling more than a likeness. Renoir reminds me of Fragonard, both masters of light and capturing a certain joie de vivre. Painting, like life, is not about perfection, it's about embracing the mess and finding beauty in the process.