The artwork “Rocks at Mouthier” by Gustave Courbet was created in the period between circa 1860 and 1863. Employing oil on canvas as his medium, Courbet presents a landscape that contributes to the Realism art movement. The genre of this piece is a landscape, focusing on the natural scenery as its primary subject. This particular painting is part of the collection at the Philips Collection, located in Washington, DC, United States.
In the artwork, the viewer is presented with a verdant depiction of rugged nature. Dominating the composition is a craggy cliff face that rises majestically on the right, creating a striking contrast with the lush greenery that cloaks the slopes. The cliff’s sheer walls feature various hues of browns and ochres that stand sharply against the dark crevices, highlighted in places by what appears to be sunlight, manifesting in lighter, more vibrant patches. Below the imposing rocks, a dense canopy of foliage drapes across the scene, composed of varying shades of green that suggest depth and complexity within the vegetative landscape.
Nestled at the foot of these earthen giants is a serene body of water, providing a tranquil counterpoint to the towering cliffs. The water’s surface reflects a muted version of its surroundings, possibly hinting at the gentle flow of a river or stream. The expanse of the sky overhead, while a relatively small segment of the composition compared to the prominence of the rocks and vegetation, is nonetheless rendered with soft blues and whites, perhaps indicating a clear day. Courbet’s brushwork throughout the artwork remains faithful to the Realist movement’s emphasis on the honest representation of the observed world, eschewing romanticization in favor of a direct portrayal of nature’s true character.
