Théodore Rousseau, The Voice of the Forest at the Petit Palais

Event Description

For painter Théodore Rousseau (1812-1867), nature was more than just an artistic inspiration. As the main figure of the Barbizon school of artists, he wandered the forest of Fontainebleau to sketch scenes he’d later polish in his studio. To quote the museum’s website: “His love of nature soon turned into a battle, and for this reason, he can be considered a true proto-ecologist: along with other artists and writers, Rousseau took a new look at the forest of Fontainebleau, which led to the protection of part of it under the name of the famous “artistic reserves” (1853), a first in a world in the throes of industrialization.”