Profile of Andre Leaning Over 1917

Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted this portrait with oil on canvas. It’s a symphony of warm colours, pinks, reds, and yellows that create a soft, luminous effect. The artist's touch is evident in the brushstrokes, alive with movement and energy. You can almost see him working, layering paint, and building up the image through a process of intuition and adjustment. I see it as a conversation between Renoir, the paint, and his subject. He’s speaking through color and gesture. The model is a redhead, the colors are exquisite! I can imagine Renoir fixating on the shapes, capturing the planes of her face in the diffused light. Her gaze is directed downwards, lost in thought, and I can feel a sense of intimacy as if we’re intruding on a private moment. What was Renoir trying to convey by having his model look away? It’s interesting because she seems to be leaning into her own world, so she leans into the painting. The artist leans into painting and together they make something very tender.