Currently not on view
Landscape,
1857
Virgilio Narcisse Diaz de la Peña, French, 1807 - 1876
2005-69
The son of Spanish immigrants to France, Diaz de la Peña rose from poverty to become a successful member of the Barbizon School—a group of artists who painted the forest of Fontainebleau surrounding that small village. Among his friends was Antoine Barye, the sculptor of animals, who also practiced plein air painting, often in Diaz de la Peña’s company.
This forest scene is typical of the artist’s work and is perhaps an enlargement of a small view of the site signed and dated 1857. The Barbizon painters worked out of doors during the temperate seasons but in winter worked indoors, painting versions of their summer sketches and, in the case of Diaz de la Peña, Orientalist scenes, nudes, and figural works. His specialty, however, was glades such as this one.
This forest scene is typical of the artist’s work and is perhaps an enlargement of a small view of the site signed and dated 1857. The Barbizon painters worked out of doors during the temperate seasons but in winter worked indoors, painting versions of their summer sketches and, in the case of Diaz de la Peña, Orientalist scenes, nudes, and figural works. His specialty, however, was glades such as this one.
Information
Title
Landscape
Dates
1857
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
41 x 69.2 cm (16 1/8 x 27 1/4 in.)
frame: 62 × 80 × 7 cm (24 7/16 × 31 1/2 × 2 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift in memory of Frank E. Taplin Jr. Class of 1937, from Margaret E. Taplin
Object Number
2005-69
Place Made
Europe, France
Signatures
lower left
Culture
Type
Subject
Sotheby's London, July 9, 1958, no. 105 (sold to Lloyd); Frank E. Taplin, Jr., Class of 1937, by 1997; 2005 gift to Princeton University Art Museum in memory of Frank E. Taplin, Class of 1937, by Margaret E Taplin.
