Two Bathers 

Editor: This piece is by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, called "Two Bathers" created with watercolor paint. The figures feel both finished and unfinished simultaneously. What stands out to you when you view it? Curator: What interests me immediately is Renoir's choice of watercolor – a medium often considered less "serious" than oil. Was this a conscious decision to challenge established hierarchies in the art world? He seems interested in the immediacy, almost the disposability, of the form. It reminds me a bit of daily, fleeting work. What do you make of the sketch-like quality in relation to Renoir’s other, more traditionally “finished” works? Editor: I hadn’t considered watercolor's place in the hierarchy, that's a really good point! Maybe this reflects on labor-- watercolor allowing a quick study, almost a mass production? How does it all relate to its audience? Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to question the value placed on labor and the very process of making. Was this intended for a patron, or was it more about the exploration of form and figure for his own purposes? The implication being if it was for personal consumption only, how might the intended buyer dictate medium and level of completion? Editor: So, thinking about materiality and the means of production offers a completely different entry point to understanding this piece. I am fascinated by the historical placement of "fine" art now. Thanks! Curator: And understanding the social context illuminates how artists negotiated their position within systems of production and consumption. Thinking about the why helps to see what makes the art so groundbreaking.