Apple Blossoms 1873

Charles François Daubigny made this painting, *Apple Blossoms*, with oil on canvas. Looking closely, you can almost feel the strokes of the brush that brought this scene to life. The way Daubigny applied paint influences how we see this orchard. It’s not just a picture of trees; it’s a record of the artist’s hand, moving with quick, deliberate gestures. The light and shadow are captured with a freedom that was quite radical at the time, edging towards impressionism. Daubigny was part of a shift away from tightly controlled academic painting. There's a sense of immediacy, a freshness that comes from painting outdoors, en plein air. He was interested in capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere, which required a different kind of skill, less about perfect rendering and more about capturing a feeling. Thinking about how this relates to broader social issues, this focus on the everyday, on the beauty of nature, connects with a growing interest in landscape and rural life during the 19th century. It's a celebration of the French countryside. What was radical about Daubigny and his peers, is their vision of fine art including scenes from everyday life.