The Little Bridge 1915

Henri Martin painted "The Little Bridge", probably in the late 19th or early 20th century, with oil on canvas, using a pointillist technique. It’s all about these tiny dabs of color coming together to create a whole, much like how we piece together our own understanding of the world. Up close, you can really see the texture, this energetic surface of brushstrokes. The paint isn't trying to hide itself; it’s right there, thick in places, giving the whole scene a kind of lively shimmer. Look at the way the light hits the bridge itself, these flicks of warm and cool tones together. There's a tension between structure, the solidity of the bridge, and looseness, the ephemeral effect of the light. This method of painting, it reminds me a little of Seurat, but with a warmer, more human touch. With Martin, it feels less scientific, more intuitive.