Renoir painted a vase of roses, which I know only from a book. His “Roses mousseuses” of 1890 (now in the Musee d’Orsay, Paris) has enchanted me from the first day I encountered it. I know it must be a thousand-fold more lovely seen in real life. I copy Renoir’s flowers every once in a while to reexperience their magic, to feel the full force of the enchantment.
This copy appears in a small Moleskin notebook, done with Uniball Signo gel pen.
I was thinking about Renoir after reading a Facebook page discussion of one of the artist’s paintings in a Washington museum. Decided to think with the pencil.
After I took these photos, while looking at the Renoir picture some more, I decided I had further thoughts about it, so I did some reworking.
And up close …
My version’s different from the old guy’s, as versions always are, but I hope I captured some of his bright optimism concerning young women, youth and beginnings in life.
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