Théodore Rousseau
1812-1867
Waterfall in the Auvergne; verso: Sketch of rocky terrain
ca. 1830
17 1/8 x 11 5/8 inches (435 x 295 mm)
Black chalk on laid paper
2022.348
Gift of Karen B. Cohen.
Notes
At the age of eighteen, after failing to pass even the first stage of competition for the coveted Prix de Rome at the École des Beaux-Arts, Rousseau fled not to Italy but to Franceʼs Auvergne region. For six months he dedicated himself to studying and rendering nature -- the textures of tree bark, rock formations, flowing water, and waving grasses. This period was critical in shaping his artistic approach.
Inscriptions/Markings
Watermark: Fragment of a crown over a shield.
Associated names
Cohen, Karen B., former owner.
Artist
Classification
Century Drawings
School
Catalog link
Department