Villerville Seen from Le Ratier 1855

Charles-François Daubigny made this oil on canvas painting, “Villerville Seen from Le Ratier,” to show the shoreline of a coastal town in northern France. It’s a somber scene, with grey skies looming over the dark rocks in the foreground. Daubigny was part of a group of landscape painters in mid-19th century France who were reacting against the academic style that the French Royal Academy promoted. They were more interested in capturing the changing effects of light and atmosphere in the natural world. They did this through direct observation, often painting outside instead of in a studio. Here we see the town of Villerville in the distance. It was a popular spot for artists and tourists seeking a break from city life in rapidly industrializing France. Daubigny’s painting captured a sense of nature that was both wild and picturesque, reflecting the changing relationship between urban and rural life. Art historians consult period newspapers and tourist guides, along with artists' letters, to better understand the context of artworks like this.