Explore Forest in Boisrémond

Read About This Drawing by Théodore Rousseau

Théodore Rousseau thought of trees as almost human. He even called his drawings of trees “portraits” and referred to the trees themselves as “beings.” This drawing of a pathway through an old forest reveals his feeling for nature. Zigzags of chalk and a line of trees give the hillside a rugged look, portraying a downhill slope from the left side of the drawing to the lower right corner. Rousseau includes a creek with curved lines along the right side that leads to a small town with a church in the distance. At the left of the drawing, a person stands on the pathway, giving a sense of scale and distance.

The Barbizon School artists in France were among the first to paint and draw en plein air (outdoors). They brought their tools outside to create their artworks, instead of inventing a scene from memory in a studio. In that tradition, Rousseau captured the essence of the trees, giving them body and form, and created details like leaves with short strokes of chalk. The one old knobbly tree at the left in the drawing receives special attention and becomes the focus of the drawing.

Questions

Write or discuss your responses.

• What is the first thing you notice in this drawing?

• Look closely at one tree in the composition. What types of lines did the artist use to draw it?

• Look closely at the background. What lines did Rousseau use to create these details?

• Rousseau called his drawings of trees “portraits.” After looking at this drawing, why do you think he said this?

• Why did the Barbizon artists prefer to paint outdoors? Cite evidence in the text to support your answer.

A group of artists in 19th‑century France who worked in and around the village of Barbizon near the Forest of Fontainebleau. These artists often drew and painted outdoors (en plein air), focusing on real trees, fields, and everyday rural life rather than imaginary or dramatic scenes. Their careful study of nature helped inspire later art movements like Impressionism.

A French term meaning painting outdoors in natural light instead of in a studio.

Artworks showing what a specific person looks like. A portrait may look a lot like a person or show idealized characteristics.