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True to Nature Virtual Tour

An integral part of art education in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, open-air painting was a core practice for emerging artists in Europe. Intrepid artists such as Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, John Constable, Simon Denis, Jules Coignet, and André Giroux—highly skilled at quickly capturing effects of light and atmosphere—made sometimes arduous journeys to paint their landscapes in person at breathtaking sites, ranging from the Baltic coast and Swiss Alps to the ruins of Rome. Drawing on new scholarship, this exhibition of some 100 oil sketches made outdoors across Europe during that time includes several recently discovered works and explores the variety of inventive ways in which enraptured artists recorded their moments in nature.

The dynamic new virtual tour allows you to explore each room of the exhibition True to Nature: Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870. Zoom in on the works, click on the different-colored dots to read wall texts, view higher-resolution photos, and see artist biographies. While available on mobile, this tour is best viewed on a desktop or tablet.

Explore More from the Exhibition

True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Louis Dupré, French, 1789 – 1837, View of Santa Trinità dei Monti in Rome, c. 1817, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris, Gift of Jacques and Brigitte Gairard
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Michel Dumas, French, 1812 – 1895, Fountain in the Roman Campagna, c. 1838 – 1840, oil on canvas, mounted on wood panel, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

August Kopisch, German, 1799 – 1853, View of Capri, oil on wood panel, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Jean-Charles Rémond, French, 1795 – 1875, Eruption of Stromboli, 30 August 1842, 1842, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Louis Léopold Robert, French, 1794 – 1835, View of Naples with Vesuvius, 1821, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris, Bequest of Carlos van Hasselt and Andrzej Niewęgłowski
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Baron François Gérard, French, 1770 – 1837, A Study of Waves Breaking against Rocks at Sunset, oil on millboard, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Carl Frederik Sørensen, Danish, 1818 – 1879, Rough Sea beside a Jetty, 1849, oil on canvas, The Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Johan Carl Neumann, Danish, 1833 – 1891, Landscape with Dunes, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Richard Parkes Bonington, British, 1802 – 1828, Dezenzano, Lake Garda, 1826, oil on millboard, The Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Louise-Joséphine Sarazin de Belmont, French, 1790 – 1870, Grotto in a Rocky Landscape, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Carl Wilhelm Götzloff, German, 1799 – 1866, Limestone Rocks, Sorrento, 1858, oil on paper, mounted on cardboard, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Achille-Etna Michallon, French, 1796 – 1822, The Oak and the Reed, 1816, oil on canvas, The Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Janus La Cour, Danish, 1837 – 1909, Olive Trees near Tivoli, 1869, oil on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Johann Jakob Frey, Swiss, 1813 – 1865, Cloud Study (4), oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Anton Melbye, Danish, 1818 – 1875, Skrim (Kongsberg, Norway), 1846, oil on paper, mounted on cardboard, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Frederik Rohde, Danish, 1816 – 1886, Rooftops, oil on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Louis Dupré, French, 1789 – 1837, View of Santa Trinità dei Monti in Rome, c. 1817, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris, Gift of Jacques and Brigitte Gairard
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Michel Dumas, French, 1812 – 1895, Fountain in the Roman Campagna, c. 1838 – 1840, oil on canvas, mounted on wood panel, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

August Kopisch, German, 1799 – 1853, View of Capri, oil on wood panel, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Jean-Charles Rémond, French, 1795 – 1875, Eruption of Stromboli, 30 August 1842, 1842, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Louis Léopold Robert, French, 1794 – 1835, View of Naples with Vesuvius, 1821, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris, Bequest of Carlos van Hasselt and Andrzej Niewęgłowski
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Baron François Gérard, French, 1770 – 1837, A Study of Waves Breaking against Rocks at Sunset, oil on millboard, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Carl Frederik Sørensen, Danish, 1818 – 1879, Rough Sea beside a Jetty, 1849, oil on canvas, The Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Johan Carl Neumann, Danish, 1833 – 1891, Landscape with Dunes, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Richard Parkes Bonington, British, 1802 – 1828, Dezenzano, Lake Garda, 1826, oil on millboard, The Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Louise-Joséphine Sarazin de Belmont, French, 1790 – 1870, Grotto in a Rocky Landscape, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Carl Wilhelm Götzloff, German, 1799 – 1866, Limestone Rocks, Sorrento, 1858, oil on paper, mounted on cardboard, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Achille-Etna Michallon, French, 1796 – 1822, The Oak and the Reed, 1816, oil on canvas, The Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Janus La Cour, Danish, 1837 – 1909, Olive Trees near Tivoli, 1869, oil on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Johann Jakob Frey, Swiss, 1813 – 1865, Cloud Study (4), oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Anton Melbye, Danish, 1818 – 1875, Skrim (Kongsberg, Norway), 1846, oil on paper, mounted on cardboard, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Frederik Rohde, Danish, 1816 – 1886, Rooftops, oil on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris

Exhibition Highlights

True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Louis Dupré, French, 1789 – 1837, View of Santa Trinità dei Monti in Rome, c. 1817, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris, Gift of Jacques and Brigitte Gairard
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Michel Dumas, French, 1812 – 1895, Fountain in the Roman Campagna, c. 1838 – 1840, oil on canvas, mounted on wood panel, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

August Kopisch, German, 1799 – 1853, View of Capri, oil on wood panel, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Jean-Charles Rémond, French, 1795 – 1875, Eruption of Stromboli, 30 August 1842, 1842, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Louis Léopold Robert, French, 1794 – 1835, View of Naples with Vesuvius, 1821, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris, Bequest of Carlos van Hasselt and Andrzej Niewęgłowski
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Baron François Gérard, French, 1770 – 1837, A Study of Waves Breaking against Rocks at Sunset, oil on millboard, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Carl Frederik Sørensen, Danish, 1818 – 1879, Rough Sea beside a Jetty, 1849, oil on canvas, The Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Johan Carl Neumann, Danish, 1833 – 1891, Landscape with Dunes, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Richard Parkes Bonington, British, 1802 – 1828, Dezenzano, Lake Garda, 1826, oil on millboard, The Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Louise-Joséphine Sarazin de Belmont, French, 1790 – 1870, Grotto in a Rocky Landscape, oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Carl Wilhelm Götzloff, German, 1799 – 1866, Limestone Rocks, Sorrento, 1858, oil on paper, mounted on cardboard, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Achille-Etna Michallon, French, 1796 – 1822, The Oak and the Reed, 1816, oil on canvas, The Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Janus La Cour, Danish, 1837 – 1909, Olive Trees near Tivoli, 1869, oil on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Johann Jakob Frey, Swiss, 1813 – 1865, Cloud Study (4), oil on paper, mounted on canvas, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Anton Melbye, Danish, 1818 – 1875, Skrim (Kongsberg, Norway), 1846, oil on paper, mounted on cardboard, Private Collection, London
True to Nature Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870

Frederik Rohde, Danish, 1816 – 1886, Rooftops, oil on canvas, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris

     

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