Olive Trees by the Sea 

Henri Martin painted "Olive Trees by the Sea" using oil on canvas, a traditional medium, but one which here feels freshly explored. Look closely, and you'll see that Martin has applied the paint in small, deliberate touches. This technique, called divisionism or pointillism, treats each dab as a discrete unit, and asks the viewer's eye to blend them together. These aren't simply daubs of color however, each stroke reflects the direction and texture of the landscape itself. This highly systematic, almost industrial approach stands in contrast to the natural subject matter. The painting's beauty isn't just in the scene, but in Martin’s labor-intensive process of capturing it. The effect is shimmering and alive, more about active construction than passive appreciation. Ultimately, "Olive Trees by the Sea" reminds us that art is as much about the making as it is about the seeing.