DISCOVERART

Georges Michel

Landscape Near Paris

c. 1840
oil on fabric
88.8 × 129.5 cm (35 × 51 in)

SEE IT IN PERSON

Not currently on view

In the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · as of July 2026

View at clevelandart.org ↗Plan a visit ↗

Discussion

FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

The location of this scene, probably near Paris, has not been identified with certainty. Unlike most painters of this time, Michel never traveled to Italy and focused only on depicting locations in France. Michel was always interested in Dutch art, however, and was nicknamed the "French Ruisdael"-a reference to the 17th-century Dutch landscape painter Jacob van Ruisdael (1628-1682). After about 1808, Michel explored personal interpretations of landscape, focusing on light, sky, and space. The brooding, vaguely threatening atmosphere in this painting embodies the Romantic notion that human beings are insignificant relative to the larger forces of nature.

Source ↗

Be the first to share your thoughts.

Sign in to join the discussion.

Community guidelines

More by Georges Michel

The Mill of MontmartreThe Mill of MontmartreLandscape with a Plowed Field and a VillageLandscape with a Plowed Field and a VillageThe StormThe StormStudy of a Tree TrunkStudy of a Tree TrunkSchets van heuvellandschapSchets van heuvellandschapGendarme met een manGendarme met een manLandschapLandschapLandschap met landwegLandschap met landweg

More like this

Italian LandscapeClaude Lorrain (French, 1604–1682) — Italian LandscapeDune Landscape with a Signal PostPhilips Wouwerman — Dune Landscape with a Signal PostMountainous landscape with waterfallRoelant Roghman — Mountainous landscape with waterfallLandscape with RuinsJacob Isaacksz van Ruisdael — Landscape with RuinsMountainous Landscape with a RuinJoris van der Haagen — Mountainous Landscape with a RuinLandscape with a Thunderstorm BrewingWillem Roelofs (I) — Landscape with a Thunderstorm BrewingFrederik Hendrik’s Siege of ’s-Hertogenbosch, 1629Pieter de Neyn — Frederik Hendrik’s Siege of ’s-Rhine Landscape near BoppardHerman Saftleven — Rhine Landscape near BoppardThe Mill of MontmartreGeorges Michel — The Mill of MontmartreGezicht op de vlakte van Montmorency bij Saint-Leu-la-ForêtPieter Rudolph Kleijn — Gezicht op de vlakte van MontmorencyLandscape with a Windmill Jacob van Ruisdael (Dutch, 1628/29–1682) — Landscape with a Landscape with HerdsmenGijsbert Gillisz de Hondecoeter — Landscape with Herdsmen