Study of Clouds with a Sunset near Rome, Simon Alexandre-Clément Denis, 1786–1801, Oil on paper, 13 5/16 x 15 1/4 in. The J. Paul Getty Trust © J. Paul Getty Trust

This exhibition focuses on the practice of painting sur le motif—in nature—as it developed in Europe during the late 1700s and early 1800s.

In the decades around 1800, a golden age of painting en plein air (outdoors) emerged in Italy. Artists from France, Germany, Great Britain, and Scandinavia came south to work in the Italian landscape, where the effects of changing light and weather were ideal for experimenting in oil sketches—small, rapidly executed paintings usually made as preparatory studies for more ambitious compositions completed in the studio. Soon the oil sketch came to be considered an autonomous work of art in its own right. In 1816 the French Academy established the Prix de Rome du paysage historique (Rome Prize for Historic Landscape) specifically for landscape, officially signifying the new prestige of landscape painting

Classical Landscape with Figures and Sculpture, Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes, French, 1788, Oil on panel  11 5/16 x 16 1/8 in. The J. Paul Getty Trust © J. Paul Getty Trust 

Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes

The writing and practice of Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes, the leading landscapist of the late 1700s and early 1800s, played a key role in elevating the status of landscape painting. This composition is characteristic of Valenciennes's classical style: figures in ancient costumes are placed in a landscape inspired by the surroundings of Rome, with ancient sculpture and monuments under a stormy sky.

In his influential treatise published in 1800, Practical Elements for Perspective Painting for Artists' Use (a copy of which is on view in the exhibition), Valenciennes argued that landscape painting appeals to the same humanistic and moral values as history painting, long considered the most prestigious form of painting. He also encouraged young landscapists to work in nature, using the oil sketch to rapidly capture changing conditions of atmosphere and weather. Valenciennes's treatise remained an essential reference for painters throughout the 1800s.

View of Subiaco, Jean-Joseph-Xavier Bidauld, French, about 1818, Oil on paper mounted on canvas. 11 1/4 x 17 in. (28.6 x 43.2 cm). Private collection.  The J. Paul Getty Trust © J. Paul Getty Trust

A Golden Age for Plein Air Painting

Around 1800, artists from throughout Europe converged in Italy and spread across the countryside, painting outdoors. The Italian landscape became an artistic laboratory for studying the effects of light and changing atmosphere in oil sketches.

Jean-Joseph-Xavier Bidauld created this view of the small hill town of Subiaco, near Rome, during an extended trip to Italy. The painting is precisely executed, with an enamel-like surface and a cool, luminous atmosphere. Bidauld exquisitely rendered the sunlight of a warm Italian afternoon, adding depth to the colors of nature.

Mountain Landscape with the Road to Naples, Jean-Charles-Joseph Rémond, French, about 1820. Oil on canvas. 21 7/16 x 29 3/4 in. (54.5 x 75.6 cm). Future gift to the J. Paul Getty Museum in honor of Scott Schaefer. The J. Paul Getty Trust © J. Paul Getty Trust

After visiting Rome, many landscape artists traveled farther south to paint the landscape near Naples, including the small town of Sorrento overlooking the Adriatic Sea and the dramatic coastal views of the Gulf of Naples.

Jean-Charles-Joseph Rémond won the Prix de Rome du paysage historique (Rome Prize for Historic Landscape) in 1821, which allowed him to study at the French Academy in Rome. He frequently took field trips as far as Naples and Sicily, painting numerous oil sketches of the Italian countryside.

The warm, vibrant atmosphere of this landscape near Naples is rendered with brilliant blue, fresh green, and golden tones.

The Falls at Tivoli, Louise-Joséphine Sarazin de Belmont , French, 1826. Oil on paper laid down on canvas. Framed: 28 3/8 x 16 5/8 in. (72.1 x 42.2 cm). Museum Purchase, Art Trust Fund and The Fine Arts Museums Foundation, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. The J. Paul Getty Trust © J. Paul Getty Trust