Head of a Woman in Red 1909

Renoir made this painting of a woman’s head, probably with oils on canvas. What I notice is the red – the redness of her dress, but also, how that same red appears in her face. I think Renoir was trying to find new ways of showing how light lands on things, how the world is always sparkling with color if you just give it a chance. There’s a softness and warmth to this painting. See how the edges of the figure almost melt into the background? That's the kind of thing you get when you're trying to paint real fast, trying to capture a fleeting moment. It's like he's saying, "Hey, look at this person, but don't look too hard, because they might just disappear!" Renoir and other painters were definitely in conversation with each other. They’re showing us that painting can be a way of feeling, not just seeing, and that maybe what matters most is the way the paint moves and breathes on the canvas.