Landscape with Oaktree 

Jules Dupré created this landscape with oaktree using oil paints. It is easy to overlook the materiality of paintings, but this is key to its meaning. Think of the preparation involved: the grinding of pigments, the mixing of oils, the stretching of canvas. These materials would have been produced by others, a whole system of labor lying beneath the surface of the image. Dupré applied the paint with expressive brushstrokes, building up layers of color and texture to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. Look closely, and you'll see how the thickness and viscosity of the oil paint allows the artist to capture the rough bark of the tree and the soft edges of the clouds. The painting process itself is labor-intensive, requiring time, skill, and physical effort. This contrasts with the seemingly effortless beauty of the natural world it represents. By considering the materials and processes involved in its making, we can appreciate the painting not just as a representation, but as a crafted object that embodies human skill.