Landscape with Large Trees

Landscape with Large Trees by Gustave Courbet, executed between 1865 and 1870, exemplifies the artist's intense dedication to naturalism, even in his preparatory works on paper. This commanding drawing utilizes black chalk with stumping on brown wove paper. Courbet masterfully employed stumping-a technique of blending chalk or charcoal to create subtle gradients-to achieve deep, atmospheric shadows and volumetric forms within the dense foliage. The choice of brown paper lends a warm, earthy tonality that enhances the dramatic light contrasts achieved by the dark medium.

Created during a period when Courbet was deeply engaged with capturing the unvarnished realities of the French landscape, this work reflects his pioneering role in the Realist movement. Unlike academic landscape painters, Courbet focused on the physicality and inherent structure of the natural world, often selecting challenging or imposing views. The massive scale and powerful presence of the large trees suggest the dramatic, untamed environments typical of the Jura region in France, where the artist frequently worked. This unflinching focus on nature was central to Courbet's rejection of idealized classical scenery and established his reputation in 19th-century art.

As a significant example of the artist’s graphic skill, the classification as a drawing highlights Courbet’s technique beyond oil painting. The immediacy of the black chalk medium allows the viewer insight into the observational process behind his compositions. Today, this masterwork is held in the renowned collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its historical importance ensures that high-quality digital representations are often accessible for scholarly use, and numerous prints have been produced from the work, supporting educational access to masterpieces currently in the public domain.