Artwork
Midsummer
Midsummer is an oil painting by Adolphe Joseph Thomas Monticelli. It dates from 1865 and is held in the collection of The Phillips Collection.
About this work
Overview
Midsummer is an 1865 oil painting by French artist Adolphe Joseph Thomas Monticelli, characterized by a lush, vibrant landscape executed in loose, expressive brushstrokes.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a serene hillside landscape with trees, bushes, and scattered wildflowers, evoking a sense of natural tranquility on a summer day.
Technique & Style
Monticelli's signature expressive style is evident in the loose brushwork and a predominantly muted palette of greens, browns, and yellows, punctuated by occasional brighter accents.
History & Provenance
Created in 1865, Midsummer is now part of the Norton Simon Museum's collection, reflecting Monticelli's influence on the cusp of the Impressionist era.
Context
Though preceding the Impressionist movement, Monticelli's outdoor settings and emphasis on light and color in Midsummer anticipate key Impressionist themes.
Legacy
As a precursor to Impressionism, Midsummer contributes to the broader narrative of 19th-century French painting's evolution towards more expressive and light-focused works.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adolphe Joseph Thomas Monticelli
Adolphe Joseph Thomas Monticelli (October 14, 1824 – June 29, 1886) was a French painter of the generation preceding the Impressionists.
View of Nantlle, Caernarvonshire
Landscape with Figures seated on a Bank
Trees and Pool
A path through a wooded landscape
Orchard in Blossom (Les Pommiers en Fleur)
Shoreham Vale
Montmartre
Paysage boisé
La remise des chevreuils au ruisseau de Plaisir-Fontaine
Summer Evening: View near East Bergholt Showing Langham Church, Stratford Church and Stoke-by-Nayland Church
Country Scene with Stile
Souvenir of the Environs of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre (Morning)