When Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted Femme Se Peignant in 1907, he was already deep into the final, most experimental phase of his career, a period marked by his struggle with rheumatoid arthritis and a bold shift in style. This work belongs to a series of late nudes and bathers that sparked both admiration and controversy among his contemporaries, who were startled by the robust forms and glowing, almost sculptural flesh. Critics of the time debated whether Renoir’s late nudes were a radical renewal or a retreat from the innovations of Impressionism.

The painting’s uncertain medium—possibly oil, but not definitively recorded—adds a layer of mystery to its material history. The scene captures a woman absorbed in the intimate act of combing her hair, her back turned partially toward the viewer. Renoir chooses a moment of private ritual rather than public display, inviting us into a world of warmth and sensuality. The model’s rounded shoulders and arms are rendered with broad, sweeping strokes, suffused with a golden light that seems to emanate from her skin.

The loose, flowing lines of her hair and the softness of her form contrast with the more linear, analytical approach of Degas in his own series of women at their toilette. Here, the focus is not on the labor of grooming, but on the celebration of physical presence and the tactile pleasures of paint. Femme Se Peignant has spent most of its life in private collections, typical of many Renoir late nudes, and its early provenance is not fully documented. Unlike some of his more famous works, it was not commissioned by a notable patron, but rather painted for the open market at a time when Renoir’s reputation was already secure.

Today, it stands as a testament to the artist’s enduring fascination with the female form and his ongoing dialogue with classical ideals, even as his own body was failing him. The painting’s current location in an online gallery reflects the broad appeal and accessibility of Renoir’s late work, inviting new audiences to encounter his vision of beauty and intimacy.