Landscape 1913

This landscape was painted by Renoir, though when, we don’t know. But I can imagine him outside, maybe with a breeze, those quick brushstrokes capturing the light as it flickers through the trees. Renoir seems to be searching for the essence of a place, or a moment. He’s not trying to copy nature, but translate it into paint. There's something really brave about that – to trust your own perception. Look at how he builds up the foliage with these dabs of colour, like he’s weaving a tapestry. He must have stood back, squinting at the canvas, deciding where to add a touch of blue, a streak of yellow, and how that mark can communicate feeling. Maybe he was thinking of other landscape painters, like Constable or Corot, and how he could bring his own sensibility to the tradition. Ultimately, painting is an ongoing conversation. We’re all borrowing from each other, remixing ideas, and trying to find our own voice amidst the noise.