By the River
Medium
Photogravure
Dimensions
Plate: 8 1/16 × 12 3/8 in. (20.5 × 31.5 cm) Sheet: 11 7/8 × 15 7/8 in. (30.2 × 40.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Ellen Robinson, 1960
Accession Number
60.683.52
Art Historical Context
"By the River" captures a tranquil riverside landscape through the delicate medium ofogravure, a pioneering reproductive technique that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century. Created in 1865 after an original composition by French artist Charles-François Daubigny, this print was produced by the renowned publishing firms Goupil et Cie and D. Appleton & Co. Daubigny, a key figure in the Barbizon school, was celebrated for his direct engagement with nature, often painting outdoors along the rivers of France to convey atmospheric light and subtle tonal harmonies. Photogravure allowed such landsca...