The Apple Orchard

Charles-François Daubigny (French, 1817–78) has depicted a single row of apple trees in blossom, shown in perspective, leading off to the horizon at the left. The row of trees forms a dividing line between two fields, which are shown dotted with bright colored poppies.

Daubigny was one of the great French landscape painters of the second half of the nineteenth century. He is considered a transitional figure between the Barbizon School and the Impressionists. His paintings are almost always horizontal, and known for their depiction of reflected light and their peaceful quality.

Daubigny was born into a family of artists, and first instructor was his father, the classical landscape painter Edmond-François Daubigny (1789–1843). His subsequent training included an apprenticeship with an engraver, and a year in Italy studying Old Masters. Returning to France in 1836, he first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1838, at the age of 21.

During Daubigny’s early period, he associated with the Barbizon School painters. He met Camille Corot in 1849, and spent some summers painting with him in the Forest of Fontainebleau. Daubigny favored river scenes, however, and left Fontainebleau for the area near Auvers-sur-Oise, where he could paint scenes of the Seine or the Oise. He even had a small ferry (named “Le Botin,” the little box) refitted as a floating studio. Though still associated with the Barbizon School, in his later years Daubigny was known for painting his initial impressions directly onto the canvas, without a prior sketch. This style of direct painting is considered a bridge to Impressionism, with its freer brushwork. He came to know and influence Claude Monet, and was an early supporter of the Impressionists, advocating for their inclusion in Salon exhibitions.

Photography by Kevin Miyazaki.