Who painted Petit paysage en hauteur (Small Landscape)?

Petit paysage en hauteur (Small Landscape) was painted by Félix-Hilaire Buhot in 1876.

Where can I see Petit paysage en hauteur (Small Landscape)?

Petit paysage en hauteur (Small Landscape) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Petit paysage en hauteur (Small Landscape)?

Petit paysage en hauteur (Small Landscape) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Petit paysage en hauteur (Small Landscape)

Félix-Hilaire Buhot , 1876

Petit paysage en hauteur (Small Landscape) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Félix-Hilaire Buhot. It dates from 1876 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Petit paysage en hauteur, executed around 1876 by French printmaker Félix‑Hilaire Buhot, is an etching on Japanese paper measuring a modest size. The work belongs to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it is displayed as part of the museum’s print collection. It represents a compact, monochrome view of a natural scene rendered through the artist’s characteristic line work.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a solitary, towering tree that dominates the middle ground, flanked by smaller trees and shrubbery. In the foreground, a cluster of rocks frames a narrow watercourse that winds through the landscape. The arrangement suggests a quiet, elevated viewpoint, inviting contemplation of the interplay between foliage, stone, and flowing water.

Technique & Style

The contrast of deep blacks and delicate hatching creates a tactile sense of texture, while the varied line weight conveys depth and movement within the scene.

Buhot employed traditional intaglio etching, incising bold, expressive lines into the copper plate before transferring the image onto Japanese paper. The contrast of deep blacks and delicate hatching creates a tactile sense of texture, while the varied line weight conveys depth and movement within the scene. The monochromatic palette emphasizes form over color, aligning the work with mid‑nineteenth‑century print practices.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1876, the print entered the National Gallery of Art’s collection through acquisition in the twentieth century, though the exact path of ownership prior to its museum entry is not documented in public records. Its presence in the gallery reflects the institution’s broader commitment to representing European printmaking of the late nineteenth century.