CLAUDE MONET'S 'BODMER OAK': AN IMPRESSIONIST TREASURE

Dec 29, 2023

2 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Claude Monet, Bodmer Oak, Fontainebleau Forest (1865), oil on canvas

Claude Monet painted the Bodmer Oak in 1865, when he was 24, working in the Fontainebleau forest near Barbizon. The huge tree is named after the Swiss artist Karl Bodmer, who painted there, and Monet's canvas shows how early he practised on landscape before Impressionism took shape.

What is the Bodmer Oak?

It was one of the famous old trees of the Fontainebleau forest, a favourite place for painters of the Barbizon school such as Théodore Rousseau and Jean-François Millet. Karl Bodmer, who lived and painted around Barbizon, gave it its name. Monet worked there in 1865 while preparing his large Luncheon on the Grass.

Where can you see Monet's Bodmer Oak?

A version of the painting is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The dappled light on the trunk and the loose handling of the leaves look ahead to his later outdoor work, though the mood is still closer to the Barbizon painters than to the bright palette of the 1870s.

Zocine Art Design is an independent studio that prints classic paintings as wall art. See this print at the Zocine Art Design shop on Etsy.

Claude Monet's "Bodmer Oak" stands as a prime example of Impressionist landscape painting. Created in the era renowned for its innovative approach to capturing the essence of nature, Monet's piece brilliantly exhibits his mastery in depicting the interplay of light and shade in a natural setting. This artwork offers a unique glimpse into the artist's perception of the natural world. For more information, visit here.