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Narcisse Virgile Diaz de la Peña was born in France, in 1807, to Spanish parents (political refugees from Joseph Boneparte’s Spain). In 1825, he worked as an apprentice in a ceramic factory, painting on porcelain. However, by 1827, he moved away from industrial work, choosing to embark on a solo course of study. He received tuition from François Souchon and studied the works of the Old Masters in the Louvre. From 1835 onwards, Diaz explored the forest of Fountainebleau, near Barbizon. During this time he produced many landscape paintings of woodland scenes. He became recognised for his ability to recreate the dappled effect of sunlight shining through the canopy of the trees. The strips of light in this painting contrast with the density of the wooded glade, lending it a dramatic depth which reinforces the seclusion of the forest.
Diaz was a founding member of the avant-garde Barbizon school in Paris. Along with fellow artists such as Rousseau, Corot and Daubigny, he set out to rediscover nature.
Title
The Wood Gatherer
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 44 x W 20 cm
Accession number
GR.39
Acquisition method
gift from Kathleen Epstein, 1973
Work type
Painting