Théodore Caruelle d'Aligny (1798 – 1871), By The Water's Edge

Oil on canvas. 33 x 44 cm. Unsigned.

Preparatory drawings held at the Louvre and Clamecy Museums
(Catalogue Raisonné of Caruelle d'Aligny by Marie-Madeleine Aubrun, p. 404)

A major figure in French neoclassical landscape painting, Théodore Caruelle d’Aligny presents here a serene and meticulously composed scene, where nature becomes a harmonious stage for rural life. Three figures are at work by a riverbank, near a small boat, in a wooded setting bathed in warm, golden light.

The influence of Nicolas Poussin is evident in the carefully structured composition and the thoughtful integration of the human presence within nature. The calm atmosphere, the delicate clouded sky, the precise rendering of the foliage, and the almost musical treatment of light all evoke the spirit of the Barbizon school, with which d’Aligny is historically associated.

Trained in Regnault’s studio, d’Aligny traveled to Italy where he studied the great classical masters before exhibiting regularly at the Paris Salons. His works are now held in several major institutions, including the Louvre, the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, and the museum of Mâcon.

This painting is a fine example of his art, combining the precision of drawing with the poetry of the landscape and the quiet dignity of everyday life.