Artwork
View taken at Alençon (Vue Prise à Alençon)
View taken at Alençon (Vue Prise à Alençon) is a print by the Romanticist artist Jules Dupré. It dates from 1839 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2016.166
- Credit line
- Bequest of Elizabeth Carroll Shearer
About this work
Overview
Created in 1839, View taken at Alençon is a print by Jules Dupré, a prominent member of the Barbizon school. The work presents a quiet riverside scene in the French countryside, rendered with careful observation of light and atmosphere. It is part of the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The image shows a gentle river winding through a landscape bordered by trees and modest buildings. A small boat drifts near the water’s edge, while a cloudy sky overhead is punctuated by distant birds. The composition conveys a tranquil, contemplative mood, emphasizing the harmony between human activity and nature.
Technique & Style
Dupré employs bold, expressive brushwork to model light and shadow, giving the scene a palpable sense of depth. The handling of atmospheric effects, soft clouds, reflected water, and diffused illumination, reflects the Barbizon emphasis on direct observation and the emotional resonance of landscape.
History & Provenance
The print was produced during Dupré’s early career, a period when the Barbizon painters were redefining French landscape art. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the twentieth century, where it remains on display as an example of the school’s approach to naturalistic representation.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jules Louis Dupré (French pronunciation:; April 5, 1811 – October 6, 1889) was a French painter, one of the chief members of the Barbizon school of landscape painters.
