The big valley of the Optevoz 1857

“The Big Valley of the Optevoz” was painted by Charles François Daubigny, using oil paint on canvas. Oil paint has a unique fluidity, allowing for a blending of colors and rendering of light that was new to painting at this time. The canvas is prepared and stretched; the wood for this would have been harvested and processed, and the flax grown and woven for the canvas. Pigments were manufactured and combined with linseed oil to create a paste, giving a wide variety of colors for Daubigny to choose from. Notice how he uses the texture of the paint to create depth, especially in the reflection on the river's surface. The painting feels very immediate, as though Daubigny set up his easel and captured the scene in a single session. Yet it’s also the result of complex industries, global trade, and the labor of many hands. By paying attention to the materials and processes involved, we can appreciate not only the artist's vision, but also the wider social context in which the artwork was made.