Landscape study, outside Sèvres

Art Historical Context

Félix Bracquemond’s *Landscape study, outside Sèvres* captures a tranquil stretch of countryside near Paris in 1873. Created as an etching in the second of four states, the print reveals Bracquemond’s careful attention to the subtle textures of trees and open terrain. The elongated horizontal format emphasizes the quiet expanse of the scene, inviting viewers to linger over the delicate play of light and shadow among the foliage. Etching allowed Bracquemond to achieve remarkable tonal range and fine detail with the medium’s characteristic spontaneity. As one of the artists who helped revive etching as a serious art form in nineteenth-century France, he used the technique to record direct impressions of nature rather than merely reproduce finished paintings. This small study reflects the period’s growing interest in plein-air observation and the poetic possibilities of everyday landscapes. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1922 as a gift from David Keppel, the print offers a window into Bracquemond’s working process and the enduring appeal of the rural outskirts of Paris during a time of rapid urban change.

About the Artist

Félix Bracquemond · 1833–1914

French, Paris 1833–1914 Sèvres