from night to morning, or the reverse.

One of the earliest pictures from this series is Lever de lune à Auvers-sur-Oise. This picture was shown

for the first time at the Salon of 1859. At the time, it appeared strikingly modern, as it conveyed a romantic feeling without the detailed narrative often associated with the movement. The work can be characterised by its overall impression of night. Daubigny is less interested in an acute depiction of a nocturnal scene than in capturing the atmosphere of night, associated with shepherds and sheep returning from grazing. Lever de lune, on the other hand, illustrates the artist’s interest in representing atmospheric nature, offering an almost naturalistic yet romanticised vision. The painting’s history aligns with its mysterious

character. From Alexandre Dumas’s writing, we can assume that numerous visitors were somewhat dazzled by this picture, which seemed highly experimental for its time. Yet the collector Johann(e) Meyer of Dresden, a very important and forward-looking collector of the Barbizon school and nineteenth-century art, acquired it, possibly underscoring the painting’s unique character.

This picture appears to have paved the way for a series of moonrises, such as Moonrise (Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest), or Les Laveuses, effet de soleil couchant sur l’Oise (Musée d’Orsay, Paris), which continued the artist’s research into the effects of the rising moon on the land and its surroundings. This

exploration positions Daubigny as a proto-Impressionist in his interest in light and effects, and also paved the way for later artists such as Van Gogh, who would also paint numerous night scenes.

The Lever de lune of 1859 greatly inspired another painting entitled Lever de lune, executed in 1877, one of the last works by the artist. The composition is almost identical, but the later painting is executed in a lighter palette of blues and greens, perhaps influenced by contemporaries such as Monet. Daubigny’s

work had evolved towards a more colourful palette, yet remained anchored in the idea of representing atmospheric ambience—an idea that had emerged almost twenty years earlier.

Lever de lune occupies a transitional position between Romanticism and Realism, movements particularly influential in the mid-nineteenth century, while also suggesting Daubigny’s growing interest in impressions. The work was last shown to the public 100 years ago, during the Dietel Sale in Amsterdam, and remained in private hands until now.