1880
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Study for a Bather (Etude pour une baigneuse) is a 1880 ink by Auguste Renoir, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a woman standing sideways, her body turned slightly away from us. Her hair is loose, falling past her shoulders, and her arms rest at her sides. The lines are soft and quick, like a sketch made fast—no details, just shapes and light shading. The artist used a drypoint needle to scratch into the metal plate, leaving faint marks that look almost like pencil. The paper has a warm, slightly textured feel, catching the light differently in spots. Look up technique: drypoint next to see how this method works.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born on 25 February 1841 in Limoges, the son of a tailor and a seamstress.
See the richer artist page
