Flowers, recto - Sleeping White Dog, verso

Diaz’ meeting with Théodore Rousseau in 1837 inspired his work in the Forest of Fontainebleau. He was one of the most talented painters in the "École de Barbizon" artists’ group established in 1890. In the 19th century, after the deaths of Rousseau and Troyon, Diaz was one of the most important living landscape painters, along with Corot and Dupré.
In his "Flowers (Roses)" the artist has applied the paint thickly, with loose strokes – a style already anticipating impressionism. He re-used the stonepine picture support, on the back of which is a work that was evidently discarded. Judging by the chewed bone lying in front of it, the white dog is sleeping peacefully after its meaty snack.
In 1877, some 200 paintings as well as numerous drawings were successfully auctioned at a posthumous studio auction.

Ducke Astrid: Narcisse Virgilio Diaz de la Peña, Flowers (Roses), recto - Sleeping White Dog, verso, in: Ducke Astrid, Habersatter Thomas (Hrsg./Edi.): von | from 0 auf | to 100. Residenzgalerie Salzburg 1923-2023. Salzburg 2023, S./p. 294-295