French River Scene, Charles-François Daubigny
Daubigny began to exhibit landscapes at the Paris Salons in 1838, but earned his living mostly as an etcher, often providing illustrations for books. His success as a painter began around 1850, when he won acclaim for his river views, despite his unconventionally sketchy handling of paint. Already by the late 1850s, Daubigny’s works were referred to as “impressions,” because they lacked the sort of careful finish that was standard before the advent of Impressionism .
