Clouds (Rome) 

Fujishima Takeji created "Clouds (Rome)" using oil paint, a medium that allowed for rich textures and atmospheric effects. The visible brushstrokes and layering of paint suggest a rapid, almost impressionistic approach. But let’s consider this method more closely. The painting’s material qualities—its surface texture, the way light interacts with the brushstrokes—are essential to its effect. These weren’t esoteric high-tech materials, yet consider that even 'traditional' artists materials need to be processed and supplied, often by anonymous laborers. Fujishima's engagement with oil painting reflects a tradition deeply intertwined with European art history, and the very fact of his presence in Rome suggests a desire to participate in this lineage. The thick application speaks to the artist's deep engagement with the materiality of paint itself, as he translates the fleeting image of clouds into a tactile, sensory experience. This approach collapses any hierarchy between the conceptual and the material, reminding us that even the most seemingly ephemeral subjects are grounded in physical realities.