Paysage Stade de création étude 

This small oil on panel landscape was painted by Charles-François Daubigny, an important figure in the development of French Impressionism. Daubigny employed traditional methods for creating an oil painting, applying layers of pigments to build up color, texture, and depth, and this study showcases the artist's engagement with light and atmosphere. He sought to capture the fleeting effects of nature, and there is an immediacy and freshness in the brushstrokes. While the application of paint may seem effortless, the act of creating such work involved a combination of artistic skill, technical knowledge, and sheer labor. The work involved the preparation of materials to produce a commercial object intended for sale. Daubigny broke down boundaries between preparatory studies and finished paintings. By attending to the conditions of its making, we can understand this artwork not just as a representation of nature, but also as a product of human skill and creative ingenuity.