Artwork
Souvenir of the Forest of Fontainebleau
Souvenir of the Forest of Fontainebleau is an oil painting by the Barbizon school artist Charles Rochussen. It dates from 1851 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created in 1851, this oil landscape portrays a tranquil stretch of the Fontaine‑de‑Bois forest.
About this work
Technique & Style
Souvenir of the Forest of Fontainebleau is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for mid-nineteenth-century landscape painting.
Souvenir of the Forest of Fontainebleau is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for mid-nineteenth-century landscape painting. The work is classified as a landscape painting and measures 100 cm in height by 135 cm in width. According to the Wikidata record, the materials are listed as canvas and oil paint, with an inception date of 1851.
No additional details about handling, brushwork, condition, or stylistic qualities are provided in the available sources.
History & Provenance
Created in 1851, Souvenir of the Forest of Fontainebleau is an oil painting on canvas executed through the collaboration of artists Charles Rochussen and Louwrens Hanedoes. The work measures 100 cm in height and 135 cm in width. Historical records indicate that the painting was owned by Reinhard, Baron van Lynden.
The piece is currently held within the collections of the Rijksmuseum, the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, and the Dordrechts Museum.
Souvenir of the Forest of Fontainebleau, an 1851 oil on canvas by Charles Rochussen (with Louwrens Hanedoes), is held by the Rijksmuseum and is also associated with the collections of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection and the Dordrechts Museum. Earlier ownership is documented with Reinhard, Baron van Lynden. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Overview
Created in 1851, this oil landscape portrays a tranquil stretch of the Fontaine‑de‑Bois forest. Tall trunks frame a modest stream that winds through the foreground, where a few sheep graze and a solitary figure rests on a rock. Distant hills dissolve into a pale sky, while dappled sunlight filters through the canopy, rendering the scene in muted greens, browns and touches of bright light.
Subject & Meaning
The composition functions as a visual memento of a celebrated French woodland, inviting viewers to recall personal visits or imagined journeys. By placing everyday elements, livestock, a resting traveler, within a serene natural setting, the work emphasizes the restorative qualities of the forest and the quiet pleasure of observing light play upon foliage and stone.
Context
During the mid‑19th century, the forest of Fontainebleau attracted numerous painters seeking to capture its natural light and unspoiled scenery, a hallmark of the Barbizon movement. Rochussen’s rendition aligns with this trend, reflecting the broader European fascination with plein‑air observation and the shift toward realism in landscape painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Rochussen (1 August 1814 in Kralingen – 22 September 1894 in Rotterdam) was a Dutch illustrator and printmaker.
