1865 - 1929
Philosophers have long said that we experience the world through our senses. The ability to see is one of our dominant senses. The question that Henri is raising here is about our memory of what we see. Both painters and writers need strong visual memory in order to put detail into their work. Painters often work from observing models, but they also need to be able to work from the memory of that model. The same is true of writers. We must be able to describe our characters, the setting and the physical world. Often the physical world tells the reader more about the nature of a person.
For the past ten years I have been cultivating my visual memory through the study of art. If your visual memory is weak like mine, I would encourage you to find ways to improve your visual skills. Most creative leaders need a strong visual memory.