Metapicture paradox

Painting a tree, we need to choose between an "impressionist" approach, with large brush strokes and attention to values and shadings, and some "realistic" painting either naive or scientific, where every leaf is represented. The paradox follows : we dont have to make a choice when we look at the tree (we have both the shape and the details), the problem is to represent a tree on a flat surface.

We cant see both the leaves and the shape at any time.

The image is only in our brain.

Metapicture.