Odalisque with Tea Set c. 1917 - 1919

Renoir made this painting of an odalisque with oil on canvas. I can imagine Renoir completely lost in the act of painting here. Look how those blush-colored strokes accumulate! See how they seem to vibrate with light, how they describe the model's body? I am imagining the brush in his hand, loaded with paint, dancing across the canvas. The painting is so alive, it's as if Renoir is breathing life into the figure with each stroke. His color palette is a warm embrace of reds, oranges, and pinks. It is a sensuous and enveloping world. The model is carrying tea. Perhaps this moment is a quiet contemplation, a pause in the day. I think Renoir might be exploring themes of exoticism and orientalism, which were very fashionable at the time. It is Renoir’s touch, though, that resonates through time. Painters are always chatting with other painters from the past or future. What a gift to share his unique vision with us today!