The artwork “Seated Nude Combing Her Hair” is a piece by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, a master of the Impressionism movement. Crafted with oil on canvas, this work measures 35.5 x 23 cm and belongs to the genre of nude painting (nu). Currently, it resides within a private collection, reflecting Renoir’s affection for capturing the human form with a delicate interplay of light and color rather than precise anatomical detail.
In the artwork, we observe a woman seated, her nude state depicted with a candid realism typical of Renoir’s approach to the human figure. She is intimately engaged in the act of combing her long, auburn hair, which cascades down her shoulder and rests in her lap. Her downward gaze and the positioning of her hands convey a sense of tranquility and private ritual, imbuing the scene with a feeling of quietude.
The brushwork is loose and expressive, characteristic of Impressionist techniques, aiming to capture the fleeting effects of light rather than to render a sharply defined image. The palette is soft with warm flesh tones contrasting against the muted background, which lacks specificity, directing the viewer’s attention entirely towards the figure. The delicate handling of the human form and the diffused lighting effect serve to celebrate both the beauty of the everyday moment and the sensuality of the subject without compromising a sense of modesty and introspection.
