Charles-François Daubigny, 'River Scene with Ducks', 1859
About the work
Overview
This peaceful river landscape depicts the Oise near the village of Auvers, where Daubigny built a home in 1860. At the far right, mostly hidden by a clump of trees, is Daubigny’s studio boat, nicknamed Le Botin (Little Box). It was originally a ferry boat which the artist had converted with the addition of oars and a cabin. From 1857 Daubigny used it to paint many views, particularly along the Oise. Its last outing was in 1867, after which he installed it in his garden in Auvers and replaced it with a second vessel on the river. Daubigny’s example inspired Monet to acquire a studio boat in 1872.
The view was painted in a number of thin layers over a period of time. In the water the brushwork is very fine and feathery, but the sky has been handled quite roughly, with swirling clouds depicted in circular strokes of different greys.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- River Scene with Ducks
- Artist
- Charles-François Daubigny
- Artist dates
- 1817 - 1878
- Date made
- 1859
- Medium and support
- oil on wood
- Dimensions
- 20.4 × 40 cm
- Inscription summary
- Signed; Dated
- Acquisition credit
- Salting Bequest, 1910
- Inventory number
- NG2622
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
- Previous owners
- Frame
- 19th-century French Frame (original frame)
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Sarah Herring, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Nineteenth Century French Paintings’, vol. 1, ‘The Barbizon School’, London 2019; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Exhibition history
-
2009Corot to Monet: A Fresh Look at Landscape from the CollectionThe National Gallery (London)8 July 2009 - 20 September 2009
-
2013Through European Eyes: The Landscape Oil SketchThe National Gallery (London)6 February 2013 - 28 April 2013
-
2016Daubigny, Monet, Van Gogh: Impressions of LandscapesTaft Museum of Art19 February 2016 - 29 May 2016Scottish National Gallery25 June 2016 - 2 October 2016Van Gogh Museum21 October 2016 - 29 January 2017
-
2022Pissarro: Father of ImpressionismThe Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology17 February 2022 - 12 June 2022
Bibliography
-
1946Martin Davies, National Gallery Catalogues: French School, London 1946
-
1957Martin Davies, National Gallery Catalogues: French School, 2nd edn (revised), London 1957
-
1970Davies, Martin, and Cecil Gould, National Gallery Catalogues: French School: Early 19th Century, Impressionists, Post-Impressionists etc., London 1970
-
1976R. Hellebranth, Charles-François Daubigny: 1817-1878, Morges 1976
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
-
2019Herring, Sarah, National Gallery Catalogues: The Nineteenth Century French Paintings, 1, The Barbizon School, London 2019
Frame
This is a nineteenth-century French Barbizon frame. Crafted from pinewood with composition ornaments, the frame is water-gilt. It is made in the Louis XV style, featuring iconic curved outlines. The back edge is decorated with an undulating shell motif. Pierced centre and corner cartouches are adorned with leaves, shell motifs and rinceaux (branches with foliage), all set against a diapered background. A sanded flat leads to a French acanthus-leaf motif at the sight edge, with a gilt slip inner frame.
The gilding has a patina that mutes the colour to harmonise with the tones of the landscape in Daubigny’s River Scene with Ducks. Made for the painting, this is considered the original frame.
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
Images
More works by Charles-François Daubigny
