In the Forest of Fontainebleau
Narcisse Virgile Diaz de la Peña (1807 - 1876), c. 1865-1870
oil on paper on panel,
42.8 cm x 56 cm
The Mesdag Collection, The Hague
Boulders like these are typical of the Forest of Fontainebleau. There, Diaz de la Peña and his painter friends discovered unspoilt nature. Not many details are visible. The artist used rough brushwork to paint the dark forest floor. Against that background, the white birches and rocks stand out starkly.
We believe he painted this in a spot about an hour's walk from Barbizon: the Gorges d’Apremont.