painting, plein-air, oil-paint, oil, canvas
16_19th-century
painting
impressionism
plein-air
oil-paint
oil
landscape
impressionist landscape
figuration
nature
oil painting
canvas
nature
Dimensions: 168.0 x 300.0 cm
Copyright: Public Domain
Charles-François Daubigny painted this large canvas, French Orchard at Harvest Time, in 1870, capturing a rural scene likely situated in the French countryside. Daubigny, associated with the Barbizon School, was a key figure in the development of plein-air painting, seeking to represent nature directly. In this painting, the low horizon line and expansive sky open up the landscape for the viewer. The orchard, bursting with fruit, suggests the bounty of the land and the importance of agriculture in French society. A figure on a ladder hints at labor and production. Painted in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, the image carries a sense of hope and renewal. Daubigny’s choice of subject matter, combined with his loose brushwork, invites the viewer to engage with the painting on an emotional level. To understand Daubigny's vision, scholars often consult agricultural records and social histories. In doing so, we start to appreciate how the painting reflects the social values and anxieties of its time.
Comments
This orchard measures a monumental 168 by 300 centimetres. Daubigny was a member of the Barbizon School, a group of artists who met in the forest of Fontainebleau, far from the Parisian metropolis, to paint in the open air. On account of its scale alone, however, this depiction was executed in the studio. The choice of such an unusually large canvas is an indication of the high ambitions the artist was pursuing. ‘The Orchard’ thus entered into direct competition with history paintings. It was, moreover, the only work Daubigny exhibited at the Salon in 1876.
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