188. Antoine Vollon, Landscape
| Artist | Antoine Vollon, French, Lyon, Rhône-Alpes 1833–Paris 1900 |
| Title, Date | Landscape (Paysage), not dated |
| Medium | Charcoal |
| Dimensions | 4 15/16 × 7 1/2 in. (12.5 × 19 cm) |
| Inscriptions + Marks | Lower left: A. Vollon |
| Provenance | [Ambroise Duchemin et Associés, Paris, until 2019; to Weisberg]; Yvonne and Gabriel Weisberg, Minneapolis |
| Exhibition History | "Reflections on Reality: Drawings and Paintings from the Weisberg Collection," Mia, 2022–23 |
| Credit Line | Promised gift of Gabriel P. and Yvonne M.L. Weisberg, Minneapolis |
It wouldn’t be surprising for viewers to do a double take upon learning that the present landscape is a drawing, not a photograph. This study of the watery countryside reflects Antoine Vollon’s deep interest in the real world. Though the location is unknown, the image likely records a setting Vollon actually saw rather than being a construct of his imagination. He was as attentive to the effects of dusky light in this small charcoal as he was to the forms of the grasses, trees, boat, bridge, and buildings that gradually reveal themselves as we focus in. The care and attention he gave to this lovely composition are a world away from the bravura quickness of his study of a Haarlem windmill (cat. no. 186).
GPW