Woman with Grapevine, 4th variant c. 1904 - 1919

This tiny drawing by Renoir, made with black crayon on paper, really gives you a sense of process. Look at those scratchy lines, and the way the forms seem to emerge and dissolve. He’s trying to capture something fleeting. I imagine Renoir in his studio, maybe a bit frustrated, but determined to get the feeling just right. He probably wasn’t thinking too hard, just letting his hand move across the page. I like the contrast between the solid form of the woman and the sketchy background, and the way the lines suggest movement and light. It’s almost like he’s carving the figures out of thin air! This drawing reminds me of other artists who are obsessed with the figure, like Degas or Rodin. They're all part of this conversation about how to capture the human body in all its messy, imperfect glory. For me, painting is about embracing that uncertainty, allowing for different readings, rather than trying to pin down one fixed meaning.