Still Life with Cantalope and Peaches 1905

This is "Still Life with Cantaloupe and Peaches," painted by Renoir, probably in oil paint, though I can't say for sure when, or even with what. Looking at how the colours melt together and dance around each other, you can tell that Renoir was really in the thick of it. There’s a really juicy quality to the paint, kind of thick and wet, like he’s smearing it around with his fingers. Check out that green cantaloupe, how it’s not just green but has hints of yellow and brown in it, like it's ripening. The way he puts those colors next to each other makes it almost seem like the fruit is breathing, like it's not just sitting there but has a life of its own. It reminds me a bit of Cezanne, maybe because of how solid and real the fruit feels, but Renoir's touch is softer, more sensual. Really though, it's hard to say, painting is just an ongoing game of copying and riffing!