Artwork
The Naturalists
The Naturalists is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Jehan Georges Vibert. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: J G Vibert
About this work
Technique & Style
As an anecdotal painting, it belongs to the broader category of nineteenth-century French narrative art.
The Naturalists by Jehan Georges Vibert is executed in oil on canvas. Created in 1874, the work measures 51.75 cm in height and 63.82 cm in width. As an anecdotal painting, it belongs to the broader category of nineteenth-century French narrative art.
The piece is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., acquired in 2015 following its earlier bequest to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1980.
History & Provenance
Created by Jehan Georges Vibert in 1874, the oil-on-canvas painting The Naturalists later entered the collection of August M. Whittingham. It was bequeathed to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington in 1980, and upon the dissolution of that institution's collection it was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 2015, where it is now held. The work was featured in the 1992 exhibition 'Cavaliers and Cardinals: Nineteenth-Century French Anecdotal Painting,' which travelled to venues including the Taft Museum in Cincinnati and the Arnot Art Museum in Elmira.
Overview
Jehan Georges Vibert’s oil on canvas, The Naturalists, dates from around 1874. The work presents a quiet forest scene in which two gentlemen stand facing one another, each absorbed in a thoughtful exchange.
Subject & Meaning
The figures are distinguished by their attire: the left figure wears a light‑coloured coat and holds a net, while the right figure is clad in a darker coat and carries a book. Their hats and the exchange of objects suggest a dialogue between field observation and scholarly study, evoking the dual roles of collector and naturalist.
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