Louis Valtat 1904

Pierre-Auguste Renoir made this drawing of Louis Valtat with what looks like charcoal or graphite, and you can see his process right there on the page. The application is very direct. Look at the varying pressure he uses to build up the tones of the drawing, especially in the beard, jacket and cap. There's a real play between light and dark, and Renoir really coaxes the shadows out of the page. The lines feel so alive and energetic! It reminds me of the drawings of Watteau. They both seem to really capture the essence of the subject, and there’s a sensitivity in the medium that's beautiful. It gives the work a timeless quality. What do you think?