“Forest of Fontainebleau”
Where did the artists of 1800s Paris go to get away from the city and connect with nature? Why, to the Forest of Fontainebleau. Known for its old forests and rugged landscapes, it provided plenty of inspiration for the aspiring artist.
“Forest of Fontainebleau” is an oil on canvas painting by the French artist of the Barbizon School, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, from 1834. He was 38 years old and created this for submission to the prestigious annual Paris Salon.
The Barbizon school was striving towards more realism in their art at a time when Romanticism, Neoclassicism, and grand history paintings were the dominant style. Corot employed the new Barbizon naturalism ideals in his landscapes and portraits.
Corot paints a rugged, realistic landscape. In the lower left there is a solitary person, a young woman. Dressed in peasant clothing, she is lounging on the banks of a creek reading a book. Two deer are bounding by, barely visible in the background. Corot signed his name in the lower left, amongst the wildflowers. “Forest of Fontainebleau” was first exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1834.
In Northern Europe, particularly, the landscape art style had a more rugged and naturalistic view that was inspiring the Barbizon artists in France. Corot create his own unique style, blending Neoclassical ideals with the precision and replication of realism. He often included mythological elements in an otherwise naturalistic landscape. In this piece, many have interpreted the woman as the character of Mary Magdalene.
The Forest of Fontainebleau, or Foret De Fontainebleau, is located in central France, just south of Paris. In old French, it means “forest of heather”. Some say it was the birthplace of Impressionism, as it inspired the Barbizon School that inspired the impressionists. Théodore Rousseau, Charles-François Daubigny, Gustave Doré, Gustave Courbet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Georges Seurat, are amongst some of the artists who have found inspiration for their paintings in the Forest of Fontainebleau.
Located about an hour south of Paris, in its early history it was a hunting forest for the kings and emperors of France. Artists of the Barbizon school repeatedly visited this area and found inspiration in its wild landscapes. Due to its popularity with artists and the public, it was one of the first areas to be protected. In 1837, artists joined together to protect the area. In 1849, the establishment of the railroad station at Fontainebleau allowed Parisians to visit the area as a day trip, wildly improving its accessibility. In 1853, parts of the forest were included in the first nature sanctuary in France, with a goal to preserve the nature and character of the forest.
“Forest of Fontainebleau” is currently on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in the United States.
For more on Camille Corot, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
