oil on panel
16.3 x 23.5 cm (6 3/8 x 9 1/4 in.)
signed with monogram lower right

LOT NOTES
Artist dedicated this work to his son Ziem. Inscribed in ink on verso \A Ziem et sa fee de ses couleurs [To Ziem and his color muse]\"."

Born to Spanish political refugees in Bordeaux, France, Narcisse Diaz de la Pena found himself orphaned and penniless at ten years old. While still a child, he lost his leg from a viper bite and he gained local recognition for both his wooden leg and his exceptional skill as a painter.

In 1836, Diaz met Theodore Rousseau and the two became friends, neighbors, and fellow artists in the village of Barbizon. Rousseau had a strong influence on Diaz, even giving him lessons on how to paint trees. Diaz remained popular throughout his career – he had active followers and was creating works for private patrons. He reached the height of his fame in 1855 and was regarded as a master landscapist who fully understood and used the lure of the forest of Fontainebleau. In 1863, Diaz met Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley and Frederic Bazille, who admired his brilliant colors; his late landscapes very likely influenced the impressionists.