French Orchard at Harvest Time (Le verger)

Charles-François Daubigny's 1876 painting of a French orchard at harvest time belongs to his late period, when he was painting the peaceful agricultural landscapes of the Île-de-France and the Oise valley that had occupied him for decades. The orchard at harvest was a subject combining his interest in seasonal change with the rural French subjects he had made his own since the 1840s. By 1876 Daubigny was recognized as a major figure and a direct ancestor of Impressionism — his loose, atmospheric handling and commitment to painting outdoors in all weathers had influenced the younger generation. The Städel Museum's holding of this work in Frankfurt reflects his substantial German reputation during his lifetime.

Daubigny's mature handling is loose and atmospheric: the orchard foliage rendered with broken, varied greens, the laden branches suggested rather than catalogued. Ground cover and shadows are broadly handled. The warm autumnal light of harvest season would have given the palette rich golds and ochres, softened by the overcast northern French sky.