Dance of the Nymphs by Paul Désiré Trouillebert

Paul Désiré Trouillebert
1829-1900 | French

Dance of the Nymphs

Signed "Trouillebert" (lower left)
Oil on canvas

This lyrical landscape entitled Dance of the Nymphs was composed by the French Barbizon painter Paul Désiré Trouillebert. A joyful scene of nymphs dancing the morning fog, the work closely resembles an important work by the great Camille Corot, which is now housed at the Musée d'Orsay (Paris). Renowned for his unique individuality that toed the line between the traditional and modern, Corot and his landscapes helped pave the way for an entire generation of Impressionists who followed him. Trouillebert perfectly captures the poetic atmosphere of Corot’s groundbreaking works, while also imbuing this scene with a freshness and character that is all his own.

Trouillebert's oil on canvas is exemplary of the tradition of historical painting. The work perfectly combines a realistic depiction of the natural world with a spirited romanticism as his idealized nymph figures frolic playfully beneath a crisp morning sky. As a whole, it is a lovely composition executed with a level of skill and artistry that proves Trouillebert's exceptional talent in the arts.

Born in Paris in 1829, Paul Désiré Trouillebert was a student of the academic painters Ernest Hébert and Charles Jalabert. Early in his career, he primarily produced portraits and genre scenes, exhibiting his first portrait at the Paris Salon in 1865. By the end of the decade, however, his interest in landscape painting blossomed, and in 1869, he exhibited his first landscape at the Salon to great acclaim. He went on to execute a number of landscapes that recall the mature style of Corot, including the present work, though they remain distinctly Trouillbert in their execution. Today, his paintings can be found in several important private collections, as well as the Lightner Museum (St. Augustine, Florida).

Canvas: 38 3/4" high x 51 1/2" wide
Frame: 50" high x 62 3/4" wide