Strawberries 1905

Renoir painted "Strawberries" with oil on canvas, though we don't know exactly when. What's so wonderful about this piece is how the colours are like a symphony, each one vibrating against the others, creating a harmony. You can see the process, the loose brushstrokes, and how the colours blend and bleed together. The material aspects of the work are really what makes it sing. It's not about being perfectly representational, but more about the sensation of strawberries, the weight of them, the juiciness. Renoir uses short, choppy brushstrokes, especially in the strawberries themselves, which gives them a kind of vibrant energy. The whites and creams in the tablecloth are almost as colourful as the strawberries, with hints of pink, yellow, and blue peeking through. It feels so alive. For me, this piece feels like a conversation with someone like Manet, who also explored the relationship between colour and form in still life. But Renoir brings a warmth and intimacy that is all his own. In the end, it's about the pleasure of looking, the joy of seeing the world anew.