The Chapel Saint-Michel at l'Estre

1881

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Landscape

Dominant colour

The Chapel Saint-Michel at l'Estre is a 1881 by Félix-Hilaire Buhot, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Félix-Hilaire Buhot
When & what style?: 1881 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This painting shows a small chapel near a body of water, surrounded by trees. The artist used a unique technique to create a sense of atmosphere. By leaving a thin layer of ink on the plate, the sky and water appear misty. To learn more about the use of ink and atmosphere in art, look into the technique of sfumato.

The story of this work

Overview

After inking the plate, instead of wiping all of the excess ink off of the surface, Buhot purposely left a thin layer of ink on the sky and water, creating an effect of atmosphere and mist.

Read the full account in the museum source.