French school; c. 1820.

French school; c. 1820.
"Landscape."
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Presents faults.
It possesses frame of epoch.
Measurements: 46.5 x 59.5 cm; 59 x 71 cm (frame).
One of the most radical aspects of the romantic painting was the attempt to substitute the great canvases of historical or religious subject for the landscape. They intended the pure landscape, almost without figures or totally devoid of them, to achieve the heroic significance of history painting. They were based on the idea that human feeling and nature should be complementary, one reflected in the other. That is, the landscape should arouse emotion and transmit ideas. Thus, landscape painters like the author of this painting tried to express their feelings through the landscape, instead of imitating it. The romantic landscape had two main aspects: the dramatic, with turbulent and fantastic views, and the naturalistic, which emphasized images of a peaceful and serene nature, as in this case. It is this second conception that we see embodied in this work; the painter tries to communicate a religious reverence for the landscape, nature in its fullness, free from the industrial elements of modern life. In fact, the author's use of light here conveys a dreamy atmosphere that invites the viewer to meditate and contemplate himself in the landscape. The romantic landscape is nevertheless made up of manifestations of very different types and not comparable to each other.