Artwork
The Pond (La Mare)
The Pond (La Mare) is an oil painting by the Barbizon school artist Théodore Rousseau. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The Pond (La Mare) is an 1855 oil on panel landscape by Théodore Rousseau that portrays a tranquil pond set within a naturalistic environment.
The Pond (La Mare) is an 1855 oil on panel landscape by Théodore Rousseau that portrays a tranquil pond set within a naturalistic environment. The composition reflects the artist’s focus on realistic depiction of rural scenery, a hallmark of his landscape practice. As a work in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it was acquired from the collection of Robert Lehman and is catalogued as a landscape painting of the mid‑nineteenth century.
The painting’s subject is the pond itself, presented without narrative allegory, emphasizing direct observation of the natural world.
Technique & Style
Théodore Rousseau executed The Pond (La Mare) in 1855 using oil paint applied to a wood panel. The work measures 34.3 cm in height and 51.8 cm in width. As a landscape painting, the piece utilizes these traditional materials to depict a natural scene, consistent with the artist's classification within the genre.
The composition is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, having been owned by Robert Lehman.
History & Provenance
The Pond (La Mare) was created by the French landscape painter Théodore Rousseau in 1855, executed in oil paint on panel. The work entered the collection of Robert Lehman and is now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of that bequest. No further details of commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
The Pond (La Mare) is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it forms part of the Robert Lehman Collection. The work is catalogued as an oil-on-panel landscape painted by Théodore Rousseau in 1855.
No documented exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.
Overview
Théodore Rousseau, a French artist associated with the Barbizon school, completed The Pond (La Mare) in 1855. This oil painting exemplifies the movement's dedication to rendering naturalistic landscapes. The work captures a serene rural environment, characteristic of the Barbizon artists' focus on direct observation of the French countryside. It is currently held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Context
As a prominent member of the Barbizon school, Théodore Rousseau contributed to a significant shift in 19th-century French landscape painting. This group of artists moved away from idealized or dramatic historical landscapes, instead advocating for direct engagement with nature. The Pond reflects this commitment, offering an unembellished, yet deeply observed, portrayal of the rural environment.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Étienne Pierre Théodore Rousseau (French pronunciation:; 15 April 1812 – 22 December 1867) was a French painter of the Barbizon school.
