The Donkey at the Watering Place c. 1850

"The Donkey at the Watering Place" is a delicate etching by Charles François Daubigny, a prominent figure in the Barbizon School, a movement emphasizing the natural world. Created in 1850, the work captures a quiet moment by a tranquil stream, showcasing Daubigny's fascination with the interplay of light and shadow in the landscape. The composition features a lone donkey, a figure standing in the water, and a row of trees, all rendered with subtle detail. The composition is characteristic of Daubigny's style, where meticulous observation of nature is combined with a sense of tranquility and poetic reflection. The Art Institute of Chicago currently holds this small yet impactful print, a testament to Daubigny's mastery of etching and his enduring legacy within the French landscape tradition.