View of Labastide du Vert 

Henri Martin made this landscape, titled 'View of Labastide du Vert', using oil paint applied in a pointillist technique. The entire surface is built up from countless tiny strokes, each one laid down individually. The effect is shimmering and vibrant. You can almost feel the warmth of the sun on the French countryside. Now, while the image itself is traditional, the method is rather modern. Pointillism was developed in the 1880s, at a time when industrial production was transforming society. There's something about this painstaking handwork that feels like a response to the machine age. Each touch of the brush is a testament to the artist's labor, a kind of antidote to the alienation of factory work. Think of all those tiny gestures, the sheer effort it took to create this scene. That's what gives the painting its depth, and connects it to broader social themes.