Théodore Rousseau

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Théodore Rousseau
1812-1867
Waterfall in the Auvergne; verso: Sketch of rocky terrain
ca. 1830
Black chalk on laid paper
17 1/8 x 11 5/8 inches (435 x 295 mm)
Gift of Karen B. Cohen.
2022.348
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.

Inscription: 

Watermark: Fragment of a crown over a shield.

Provenance: 
Jill Newhouse, New York; from whom purchased by Karen B. Cohen, 2005.
Associated names: 

Cohen, Karen B., former owner.

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