Sketches; Rocky Setting and Rabbits 

Charles-François Daubigny rendered this sketch of a rocky setting and rabbits in graphite. Daubigny came of age during a period of significant social upheaval in France, between the French Revolution and the rise of the industrial era. Daubigny, deeply influenced by the Barbizon School, sought to capture the essence of the French countryside. These artists rejected the formality of academic painting, turning instead to nature for inspiration. The seemingly simple sketch offers insight into the artist’s world. The rabbits, rendered with a delicate hand, might evoke a sense of the rural idyll. The loose style, combined with the landscape, suggests a move away from the structured compositions of the past. Daubigny invites us to consider the intersection of nature and art, and the quiet moments of observation that fuel creativity. In his choice of subject matter and technique, Daubigny challenged the prevailing artistic norms, thereby reflecting a shift in cultural values.