Le Baou de Vence 

Henri Lebasque created this landscape, Le Baou de Vence, using oil paint, a medium that has been central to Western art for centuries. But, of course, oil paint itself is a material with its own history. Made from pigment mixed with oil, often linseed, its workability allows for layering and blending, creating rich textures and subtle gradations of color. Look closely, and you can see how Lebasque used this to capture the light and atmosphere of the scene. Oil paint also dries slowly, allowing artists to rework areas, to achieve the desired effect. What's interesting here is how a material, industrial innovation – the mass production and distribution of oil paint in tubes – influenced how this artwork was made. It allowed artists like Lebasque to work outdoors, capturing fleeting moments and the effects of light on the landscape. This direct engagement with the landscape marks a shift in artistic practice, and reminds us of the profound influence that the technologies of making have on art itself.