In addition to presenting a series of works signed by the greatest artists, from Corot to Picasso, this exhibition raises the question of why the Forest of Fontainebleau attracted not only painters and photographers, but also writers and poets. It provokes thoughts about the close links, throughout the 19th century, between this very special site and the artists, who found inspiration in "the spirit of the place" and changed its image. For after "absorbing" the romantic forest created by the men of letters, the painters contributed to its reinvention. This was a prelude to its official recognition as an "Artistic Reserve" when, in 1874, the Forest of Fontainebleau became the first natural site in the world to be classified.
Chantal Georgel, chief curator, Musée d'Orsay.
Exhibition produced in conjunction with the Réunion des musées nationaux.