Plateau Bromont at Pontgibaud (Puy de Dôme) 1890

Editor: Here we have Armand Guillaumin's "Plateau Bromont at Pontgibaud (Puy de Dôme)" from 1890, painted en plein-air with oil paint. The shapes feel simplified, and yet I'm drawn into the rural landscape. What stands out to you? Curator: For me, it's how Guillaumin plays with light and color. See how the hazy light almost vibrates across the canvas? The brushstrokes, thick and visible, give a real sense of the textures in the landscape. And look at the colors he chooses, unexpected, almost dreamlike! Makes you wonder what the place truly looked like. It feels almost hyper real. Editor: It’s interesting you mention “dreamlike”. It reminds me of childhood summers looking across vast empty spaces with hay bales that look like houses! Why the prominent bales of hay? Curator: Perhaps a symbol of the bounty of the land, of sustenance. These pyramids echo those distant mountains, grounding the painting, offering comfort or a sense of belonging. A humble harvest, a human element within that sublime landscape. It could be simply the aesthetic arrangement or celebration of these everyday sights. What do you think? Editor: I didn't consider it on those symbolic levels, and seeing your perspective is fascinating! It almost gives it a religious feeling. Curator: Exactly! And I think that tension – between the earthly and the… something beyond – is where the real magic of this painting lies. Thanks for lending fresh eyes; your impressions were revealing. Editor: And thank you for drawing out details I wouldn’t have noticed myself! A whole new understanding.