Why was Charles-François Daubigny one of Vincent van Gogh's great examples?
Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam
This exhibition is the first to explore Daubigny’s role as the founding father of Impressionism and as a major source of inspiration for Vincent van Gogh.
In the 19th century, Charles François Daubigny (1817-1878) was one of the most important French landscape artists. He became renowned for his urge for innovation, and was popular with collectors, critics and the general public, as well as with other artists.
In the mid-19th century, an increasing number of artists headed into nature to capture the landscape. Daubigny adopted an extremely personal approach to his depictions of nature. With his loose, sketch-like technique and novel compositions, he redefined the genre.
Daubigny worked on his paintings from a studio boat in the middle of the river, inspiring other artists such as Claude Monet. You can experience painting landscapes from Daubigny’s perspective yourself with the modern, multimedia version of a studio boat especially designed for the exhibition.
Daubigny had a strong influence on Impressionists such as Monet, Pissarro and Sisley. In turn, he himself was also inspired by this younger generation of artists. Daubigny also served as a shining example to Vincent van Gogh.
Van Gogh considered him to be one of the forerunners in the ‘beginning of the great revolution in art’. The exhibition clearly illustrates the interaction between Daubigny and the Impressionists, and the French artist’s influence on Vincent van Gogh.
The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati and the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh. The exhibition was on view in Cincinnati from 20 February until 29 May 2016, in Edinburgh from 25 June until 2 October 2016.
Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam: 21 October 2016 – 29 January 2017