Weidelandschap in de schemering before 1899

This image is a photographic reproduction of Maurice Bucquet’s ‘Weidelandschap in de schemering’ or ‘Pastoral Landscape at Twilight’, though the precise date of its making is unknown. Bucquet was part of a generation of landscape artists whose work became associated with a wider sense of French national identity at the turn of the century. The low horizon line and the tranquil composition encourage a sense of peace and quiet. Bucquet's choice of subject matter reflects the cultural interest in the French countryside at the time. As in Britain and the United States, the French countryside had become a key site where national identity was forged, and the nation’s artists played a key role in the promotion of these values. Historians interested in Bucquet would need to explore the political forces that shaped artistic production and reception in France at the time. They could start by looking into the government policies and art market structures that influenced the artists of the period.