Seated Woman c. 1910

Pierre-Auguste Renoir made this oil painting of a seated woman and from what I can see, he’s working with what I'd call a broken colour palette. The painting’s surface is full of brushstrokes, almost like dashes, that add to the overall texture and impression. You can see how the paint is applied thinly in some areas, allowing the canvas to peek through, while in other spots, Renoir builds up layers to create depth. The way he’s used these strokes makes the light feel like it’s actually shimmering and moving across the canvas. Take a look at the orange shawl. See how the brushstrokes follow the form, describing its shape, but also dissolving it? Renoir reminds me of Bonnard in the way he’s able to use paint to capture a feeling more than a precise image, and that’s why his work continues to resonate. It's not about the thing itself, but the experience of seeing it.