Meditation 

Henri Martin made this painting, titled Meditation, using oil on canvas. The Pointillist technique that Martin employs here is crucial to its effect. If you look closely, you will see that the image is made up of thousands of tiny dots of pure color. This was an innovative approach, influenced by scientific theories about how the eye perceives light. Rather than mixing colors on a palette, the artist relies on the viewer's eye to do that work. It’s also intensely laborious. Each of those dots had to be individually applied, making for a very slow and deliberate process. The final appearance of the painting is deeply affected by the colors, the texture and the form. While this painting appears peaceful, it contains a tremendous amount of work. Paying attention to the materials, the making, and the context, helps us understand the full meaning of this work, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.