Le Jardin De Marquayrol c. 1930

Henri Martin painted “Le Jardin De Marquayrol” using a flurry of brushstrokes, like confetti thrown across the canvas. The palette is muted and sun-drenched: greens, browns, and touches of faded blue in the sky, all built up from these little dabs and flicks. I imagine Martin, squinting in the sunlight, trying to capture the particular way the light hits the foliage. Did he feel defeated at times? Or was he energized by the challenge of capturing it all, one tiny brushstroke at a time? Look closely and you’ll see the paint isn’t thick, but has been carefully applied, and each touch feels light, capturing the airiness of the garden. The trees are composed of small marks; they’re not solid, but alive and vibrating. Artists are always in conversation, looking, borrowing, and reacting to what’s come before. Martin was thinking about Impressionism but doing his own thing. I think he has created something that feels both grounded and dreamlike. It shows us that painting is a way to feel, to be present, and to open up possibilities.