The tree trunk 

Georges Seurat made this drawing, 'The Tree Trunk', using conté crayon in the late 1800s. Seurat, living in a rapidly changing Paris, developed pointillism, a technique that sought scientific accuracy in art, reflecting the positivist mood of the time. Here, we see a more intimate side of Seurat. The tree trunk dominates the foreground, a stark vertical presence that invites us to consider ideas of nature, and perhaps the masculine in contrast to the building that resides deeper in the frame. This is not the grand spectacle of Parisian life. Rather, we are drawn into a more private, reflective space. The soft, grainy texture creates a dream-like atmosphere, blurring the lines between reality and memory. Seurat's choice of subject matter, seemingly simple, hints at a deeper emotional landscape. This reminds us that even in the pursuit of scientific precision, the personal and emotional dimensions of art persist.