Oil on panel, 'A Bridge', Charles Hoguet, German school, ca. 1845 - 1868

A bridge across a river in the countryside with small figures walking on a path on the right, tall trees on the left and distant house or inn in the right background.

Bequeathed by Rev. Chauncey Hare Townshend

Bequeathed by Rev. Chauncey Hare Townshend, 1868

Historical significance: Nicknamed 'Raphael of Windmills', Charles Hoguet was famous for landscape paintings such as the present one. It shows a bridge across the river in the countryside with small figures walking. The cool palette and broad brushwork are characteristic of Hoguet's technique, reminiscent of that of his French master Isabey. Hoguet seems to have focused his interest on the rendering of light in dramatic weather conditions.
The artist chose to dissolve here the forms with his brushstrokes while the cool, almost uniform palette is enlivened by patches of light in the sky and on the path creating thus subtle contrasts. The interest in light effects is typical of the German realists.
This composition is reminiscent of the 17th-century Dutch imagery, which aroused a new interest in Realist painters. It is difficult to assess whether the artist executed this painting directly after the motif in plein air while travelling in Holland or reworked earlier sketches later in his Berlin studio.

Charles Hoguet (1821-1870) was born in Berlin to French parents. He studied first with the seascape painter Wilhelm August Christian Leopold Krause (1802-1864) and later completed his apprenticeship in Paris with Eugène Ciceri (1813-90). He was also later on an apprentice with Eugène Isabey (1803-86) who was also teaching at the same time Eduard Hildebrandt (1817-1868). He is famous for his still lifes, marine paintings and landscapes. He won medals in Paris in 1848 and 1859.

This painting is a fine example of Hoguet landscape paintings dominated by a cool and almost monochrome palette. The composition and palette is slightly reminiscent of Isabey's technique, but also recall the 17th-century Dutch imagery which aroused a new interest among Realist painters of the 19th century. This type of landscape may also be based on memories from his visit to Holland.

1561-1869