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Jules-Louis Dupré, 'Willows, with a Man Fishing', probably before 1867

About the work

Overview

A fisherman stands among the rushes that border a pond or a river. Willow trees cluster at the water’s edge, the shade they provide contrasting with the sunlit meadow beyond.

This small landscape was most likely painted in the 1850s around the small town of L’Isle-Adam, about 25 kilometres north of Paris. Situated on the left bank of the River Oise, the town is surrounded by streams, ponds and small lakes. Dupré settled there in 1849 and often painted river scenes that include fishermen.

Of all the artists associated with the Barbizon school of landscape painters, Dupré was perhaps the most influenced by English landscape painting. In 1831 he visited England, where he studied the work of Crome, Turner and Constable. Constable’s influence, especially, can be seen in the small touches of paint and extensive use of white highlights that help create the effect of a bright, sunlit day despite the use of dark green in much of the painting.

Key facts

Details

Full title
Willows, with a Man Fishing
Artist dates
1811 - 1889
Date made
probably before 1867
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
21.7 × 27.1 cm
Inscription summary
Signed
Acquisition credit
Salting Bequest, 1910
Inventory number
NG2634
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Previous owners
Frame
19th-century French Frame (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.

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