View of the Lot of Saint Cirq Lapopie 1913

Henri Martin conjured this vista of Saint Cirq Lapopie with paint, likely oils, brushed in short strokes of blues, greens, and yellows. I can almost feel the breeze on the river and the warmth of the sun on the rocks. Imagine Martin standing before this scene, squinting maybe, trying to capture the light as it dances on the water. What's he thinking about as he dabs and strokes, building up this world bit by bit? Is he trying to convey how the scene makes him feel? The paint is applied with this kind of stippling, almost like little dots, and yet together they form a cohesive image, a feeling of a place. I’m reminded of the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, you know, like Seurat or Signac. That verticality in the mark-making, how it animates the image, it’s a constant exchange of information and energy. It is not fixed. It’s not just a river, it’s a feeling of a river. And isn't that what painting is all about? A conversation between the painter, the painting, and us, the viewer, across time.