Théodore Rousseau

Théodore Rousseau (1812–1867) was a French landscape painter and a central figure of the Barbizon School, renowned for his richly detailed, atmospheric depictions of forests, fields, and rural life. Rejecting the rigid traditions of academic art, he painted directly from nature, capturing the changing moods of light, weather, and season with a poetic realism that influenced generations of landscape artists. His works often portrayed the Forest of Fontainebleau, rendered with deep respect for the harmony between man and nature. Born in Paris, Rousseau showed artistic promise from a young age and studied under Charles Rémond. Despite early rejection by the Paris Salon, he persisted, earning recognition later in life. In 1847, he settled in Barbizon with his companion, painter Léonie Jacque, where he became a leader of the artist colony until his death in 1867.