In the Forest of Fontainebleau

The art of L�szl� Pa�l gave many original features to Barbizon School. Of the great masters in Pa�l’s time only Millet actually lived in Barbizon, and he followed the activity of the Hungarian artist and the other young painters who worked there with great interest, and was highly appreciative of his passionate paintings. Pa�l’s work was first associated with that of Th�odore. Rousseau and later he was compared with Diaz de la P�na. Yet there is something that makes him quite different from them - his imposing power of rendering, and his highly nostalgic, nature-inspired delineation. In his best works, the romantic approach is combined with a realistic representation and expression of atmospheric effects.

The painting “In the Forest of Fontainebleau” is bathed in sunlight, the forms are strict and there is still a vibrant translucent effect. His palette has an abundance of greens - glistening olives, the pale green of sunlit leaves, the sea-green of moss, the dark green of the deep mysterious forest - these and many more variations of green foliage shimmer in the dancing shafts of sunlight.

Not one of his works was acquired by a museum during his lifetime, and his only official recognition, the “mention honorable” of the Paris Salon came when he was already seriously ill. In 1880 two of his pictures were bought for the collection of the National Museum. Thanks to Elek Petrovics, the Museum of Fine Arts, despite financial difficulties, bought a number of his works during and after the First World War, among them his painting.