Rocky Landscape 1840 - 1855

Charles-François Daubigny sketched this rocky landscape with graphite, capturing nature's essence in simple lines. The rocky cliff on the left and the cluster of trees on the right create a composition that is both inviting and imposing. The path, snaking through the center, acts as a guide, reminiscent of the "via naturale," which, since the Renaissance, directs our gaze into the heart of the landscape. This motif, the path, is an invitation to wander, but it also echoes the "forest path" described by Heidegger, representing the journey of thought and contemplation. Think of Caspar David Friedrich's solitary wanderers or even the figures in Claude Lorrain's classical landscapes. The path here is not merely geographical, but psychological. This is a space where one confronts nature and, in turn, confronts oneself. This landscape taps into our collective memory, echoing the eternal human quest for understanding and connection.