Ruins of the Chateau of Crèmieux (Isère) 1850

Charles François Daubigny's "Ruins of the Chateau of Crèmieux (Isère)" is a 1850 etching depicting the crumbling remains of a castle overlooking a distant landscape. The work, housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, showcases Daubigny's interest in capturing the atmospheric effects of light and weather, with the ruins rendered in soft, tonal values. This etching is an example of Daubigny's move towards Impressionism, a style that emphasized capturing the fleeting effects of light on the natural world. The artist's signature and a note indicating the printmaker can be found at the bottom of the work.