This post-Barbizon era painting is reminiscent of the extraordinary forest interiors painted on site in the forest of Fontainebleau by the first generation of Barbizon painters, particularly Rousseau and his pupil Diaz de la Pena. Compare it with the Barizon Forest masterpiece by Diaz de la Pena below:

Barbizon artists are considered the first "plein-aire" painters, painting directly on site rather than completing their scenes in studios from sketches. These new landscape painters expressed fascination with changing seasons, changing times of day and the effects of transient light on the landscape. Barbizon artists had no uniform style but were identified because of their commitment to portraying the details of the natural world rather than the formal and romanticized images of their predecssors. By the mid-19th century there was a large and loosely organized movement with hundreds of notable adherents. This work is guaranteed to be 19th century and is unsigned like many paintings of this period. It is in the manner of the French Barbizon painters inspired by Camille Corot.