26 http://www.artistsmagazine.com
master class BY JERRY N. WEISS
CHARLES-FRANÇOIS DAUBIGNY
is one of those artists who are more
often assessed in terms of historical
importance than for the actual mer-
its of their work. h ere’s some justi-
i cation for this sort of left-handed
treatment, insofar as Daubigny
served as a bridge between eras and
aesthetics, and his work doesn’t
appear to be terribly revolutionary in
its vision—an academically trained
artist, he remained fond of muted
browns, greens and grays to the end.
But as a plein air painter he was a
catalyst for the subsequent genera-
tion of artists and, if his paintings
aren’t as animated as those of the
Impressionists, they’re imbued with
a genuine love of pastoral quietude.
Daubigny’s initial forays as a
professional artist were focused on
exhibiting at the Paris Salon and
competing for the Prix de Rome.
To that end, he showed historically
themed paintings, landscapes whose
subjects included classical or biblical
references. h ese met with success
as well as criticism, for even in his
early work Daubigny was reproached
for lack of i nish. A friendship with
Corot helped to coni rm his devo-
tion to painting from nature, and
in 1857 he bought a boat to use as a
l oating studio on the Seine, Marne
and Oise rivers. Monet liked the
idea so much he bought his own boat
15 years later.
Selected to serve on Salon juries
between 1865 and 1875, Daubigny
attempted to use his position within
the establishment to advocate for
the younger Impressionists. When
his ef orts to vote in paintings by
Cézanne, Monet and Pissarro were
rebuf ed, he resigned from the juries
repeatedly as a matter of principle,
and encouraged his younger col-
leagues to form an independent
Salon des Refusés.
Daubigny painted Banks of
the Oise at Auvers near his home at
Auvers-sur-Oise in 1863. h e paint-
ing is a i ne example of Daubigny as
A Good Example for Those
Who Come After
Daubigny’s gentle vision had a lasting impact on landscape painting.
ABOVE: Banks of the Oise at Auvers(1863; oil on canvas, 35x63½)