Staande naakte vrouw of baadster 1910

This is a small etching of a standing nude woman, or bather, made by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, but when is unknown. It's so interesting how Renoir uses these delicate, scratchy lines to build up the figure, sort of like he's feeling his way around the form. The texture is all in the lines, and it's amazing how much he suggests with so little. Look at the way he defines the curve of her back, or the soft roundness of her arm, it's all these tiny, almost hesitant marks that come together to create this incredibly sensual and intimate image. The way the lines thicken and thin out reminds me of a dance, a back and forth between light and shadow. I'm also thinking about how this piece relates to his paintings, and it's like seeing him work out the same ideas, but in a totally different medium. There's an artist called Bonnard, who did similar explorations of the female form, and you can see the same kind of interest in light and atmosphere. Ultimately, it’s a testament to the enduring power of art to explore and celebrate the beauty of the human form.