The Banks of the Oise 1863

Charles-François Daubigny painted this oil on canvas, "The Banks of the Oise," capturing a serene landscape. Daubigny was associated with the Barbizon School. It was a mid-19th-century French artistic movement. Barbizon painters rejected academic conventions and sought to depict nature realistically. They often worked en plein air, directly from observation. The Barbizon school was reacting against the increasing industrialisation and urbanisation of France. These artists emphasized the importance of rural life and the preservation of the natural world. Daubigny was a significant influence on the Impressionists. He experimented with loose brushwork and atmospheric effects. In many ways, his works reflect the tensions of a society undergoing rapid transformation. To fully understand the context of this painting, you could research the rise of landscape painting as a genre, the social and economic changes in 19th-century France, and the relationship between art and nature. Art is constantly reshaped by social and institutional forces.