Femme assise au bouquet de feuillage 1905

Jean Metzinger made this painting of a seated woman holding foliage, Femme assise au bouquet de feuillage, at an unknown date, using what looks like a pointillist technique. It's like the whole thing is made of tiny dots, a real labour of love, or maybe a kind of madness! Looking closely, the colors are so vibrant. He’s using this mosaic of touches to build form and light. The skin has this radiant glow, achieved through yellows, pinks, and even hints of blue. Metzinger isn't just painting what he sees, he's constructing a new way of seeing. Notice the area just above her right arm, the yellow melts into little strokes of blue, so close together they fizz and vibrate like TV static. I'm reminded of Seurat or even Cezanne here. It's all about seeing the world, not as a fixed thing, but as a fluid, ever-changing process. There's no single way to look at this painting, it’s alive with possibilities, and that's what makes it so exciting.