Les Grottes de Prunal près de Pontgibaud 

Armand Guillaumin’s painting shows us a view of the Prunal caves near Pontgibaud, using oil on canvas. Guillaumin, a contemporary of Monet and Pissarro, painted this landscape in France, likely around the turn of the twentieth century. The Impressionists weren’t just interested in capturing light and colour; they were trying to capture a feeling, an experience. Here, the deep shadows and rugged rock faces convey the scale and drama of the natural world. Guillaumin's artistic formation took place during a time when French artists were reconsidering their relationship with institutions. The Impressionists challenged the academic art world by staging their own independent exhibitions. By painting everyday scenes, such as this landscape, they blurred the line between high and low art. To fully understand this painting, we might look at tourist guides and railway posters from the period to learn more about how the French countryside was marketed and consumed. Art is not created in a vacuum; it reflects the society in which it was made.