Head of Gabrielle 1895

Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted Head of Gabrielle with oils on canvas, materials that, by this point in the late 19th century, had become standard for European fine art. Renoir was part of the Impressionist movement, known for its interest in light and fleeting moments. But it's important to remember that Impressionism was also a way of working. Note the brushwork here: the visible strokes, the way colors are blended wet-into-wet. This was a way to capture an impression quickly, before the light changed. There's a looseness to the handling, a sense of immediacy, yet also the confidence of a well-trained hand. Oil paint, though a relatively accessible material by this time, still required knowledge and skill to use effectively. The painting is a testament to Renoir’s expertise, but also to the changing nature of artistic labor in an era of mass production. No longer was art only about commissioned masterpieces. It could also be about capturing the everyday, made possible by readily available materials.