An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
The Rustic Bridge, Château de Méréville, Francec. 1785
Artist: Hubert Robert
French, 1733 - 1808
Landscape. Romantic landscape with large trees, and a bridge suspended between two great rocks. In the foreground groups of figures strolling, talking and riding. This scene painted at the Chateau de Méréville. Park Méréville
25 3/4 x 21 in. (65.41 x 53.34 cm) (canvas)
24 3/4 x 20 1/2 in. (62.87 x 52.07 cm) (sight)
34 3/4 x 30 1/4 x 4 in. (88.27 x 76.84 x 10.16 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
France
18th century
The William Hood Dunwoody Fund
In the heart of the French countryside, the air whispers of history and dreams intertwined. Here lies the enchanting Château de Méréville, one of France's first attempts at an English-style park. It was a vision sculpted into reality by a talented artist of landscapes, Hubert Robert, who worked in harmony with the aspirations of the Marquis de Laborde.
It was the year 1784 when the Marquis, captivated by the beauty of the estate, laid claim to it, dreams of lush gardens and tranquil retreats dancing in his mind. His ambitions were grand, a yearning to escape the rigid barriers of traditional French design. The gardens would break free from the exactness of symmetry and the coldness of geometry; they would sway gently, much like the waves in a serene pond.
Over a decade, a transformation began. Marshes, once teeming with life, were skillfully drained, making way for tranquility. A mountain was not merely moved; it was embraced, reshaped, allowing the landscape to flow and breathe. Even a river, that ancient symbol of life, was not just rerouted but lovingly coaxed into a sinuous, winding path—a gentle ribbon that meandered, whispering secrets to all who wandered near.
The gardens emerged as a perfect blend of nature and artistry, a romantic retreat where imagination thrived. The beauty of the Château de Méréville speaks not just through its manicured lawns and thoughtful designs, but in the legacy it leaves behind, inviting all who visit to take a pause and lose themselves in its serenity.
About the artist
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