born Feb. 15, 1817, Paris, Fr.
died Feb. 19, 1878, Paris
French landscape painter of the Barbizon school .
He was trained by his father, also a painter. He began by painting historical and religious works but soon turned to landscapes, painting rivers, beaches, and canals from a boat. His images were notable for their uncrowded composition and accurate depiction of natural light. One of the earliest proponents of painting directly from nature, he is considered the link between mid-19th-century naturalism and Impressionism .