Léontine Lisant 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir made Léontine Lisant with oil paint on canvas. The way Renoir applied the oil paint gives the image a soft focus, blurring the lines between the subject and the surrounding space. Note the visible brushstrokes, laid down with a casual rhythm. There is a richness of color, particularly in the contrasts of red and white, which give the painting a sense of vibrancy and life. These visual elements are all results of Renoir's chosen materials and his way of working with them. Though we think of painting as a fine art today, Renoir began his career as a decorator of porcelain. This background shaped his aesthetic sensibility, as well as his understanding of the marketplace for luxury goods. Renoir used these skills throughout his career, as he navigated the rapidly changing art world of late 19th-century France. It reminds us that making is never separate from the social world in which it happens. By exploring the processes and materials used by artists like Renoir, we gain a deeper understanding of the artwork's meaning and cultural significance.