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17 Famous Naturalist Malere You Should Know

If you remember one Naturalist maler, make it Jules Bastien-Lepage (1848–1884), the name behind October - gathering potatoes og At Harvest Time. After that come Christian Krohg, Henri Gervex, José Malhoa og William Henry Hunt. Our 17 picks go from Pietro Cavallini (born 1240) to Frank Mcclure (born 1896), from 11 countries.

How we picked them. We list the artists our catalogue links to Naturalist, from the most famous down. Artists born after 1955 that we cannot yet check on Wikidata are left out. The Wikipedia number shows in how many of our 32 languages Wikipedia writes about them.

  1. October - gathering potatoes af Jules Bastien-Lepage1Jules Bastien-Lepage
  2. Albertine af Christian Krohg2Christian Krohg
  3. Rolla af Henri Gervex3Henri Gervex

Quick facts

Naturalist in a nutshell

  • 17Kunstnere
  • 1240–1896Fødselsår
  • 11Fødselslande
  • 0Kvinder
  • 1.403Værker i vores katalog
Byer med flest fødsler
Damvillers (1), Vestre Aker (1), Montmartre (1), Caldas da Rainha (1)

Meet them one by one

The 17 famous Naturalist malere, from most famous down

1of 17

Jules Bastien-Lepage

From Damvillers On Wikipedia in 22 of 32 languages

Jules Bastien-Lepage

Født i 1848 i den lille landsby Damvillers, beliggende i Frankrigs Meuse-region, var hans kunstneriske bane dybt rodfæstet i landskaberne og livet på det franske land. Hans korte, men intens produktive karriere, tragisk afbrudt ved hans død i 1884 i en alder af kun seksogtredve år, satte et uudsletteligt præg på naturalismens udvikling og influerede kunstnere over hele Europa.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Jules Bastien-Lepage reproductions

2of 17

Christian Krohg

Norsk From Vestre Aker Naturalisme, Realisme On Wikipedia in 23 of 32 languages

Christian Krohg

Hans tidlige studier i jura ved Universitetet i Oslo fra 1869 til 1873 blev aldrig fuldført, da hans hjerte længtes efter pensel og farve. Krohgs kunstneriske uddannelse begyndte formelt i Tyskland, hvor han studerede på Baden Kunstakademi i Karlsruhe under Hans Gude fra 1874 til 1875. Men det var i Paris, fra 1881 til 1882, at Krohg virkelig fandt sin stemme som kunstner.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Christian Krohg reproductions

3of 17

Henri Gervex

From Montmartre On Wikipedia in 18 of 32 languages

Henri Gervex

I det levende og ofte turbulente hjerte af det sene 19. århundredes Paris navigerede få kunstnere så dygtigt på den delikate grænse mellem akademisk prestige og moderne provokation som Henri Gervex. Gervex blev født i 1852 i Montmartre-kvarteret og var et barn af netop de gader, som han senere skulle forevige.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Henri Gervex reproductions

4of 17

José Malhoa

Portugisisk From Caldas da Rainha Naturalisme, Realisme On Wikipedia in 13 of 32 languages

José Malhoa

José Vital Branco Malhoa, blot kendt som José Malhoa, trådte frem fra hjertet af Portugal i 1855, født i kurbyen Caldas da Rainha. Som blot tolvårig påbegyndte han sin formelle uddannelse ved Det Kongelige Kunstakademi i Lissabon, hvilket lagde et solidt teknisk fundament, der skulle tjene som grundsten for hans fremtidige udforskninger.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · José Malhoa reproductions

5of 17

William Henry Hunt

From Cheapside

William Henry Hunt

I den britiske akvarels guldalder besad få hænder den delikate præcision og sjælfulde iagttagelsesevne, som William Henry Hunt besad. Hunt blev født i det pulserende hjerte af Cheapside, London, og trådte frem som en central skikkelse i den victorianske æra – en periode, hvor naturens intimitet ofte blev indfanget gennem en linse af dyb spirituel og æstetisk følsomhed.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · William Henry Hunt reproductions

6of 17

Alexandre Antigna

French From Orléans Realism, Naturalism On Wikipedia in 10 of 32 languages

Alexandre Antigna

Born in Orléans in 1817, his early artistic journey was rooted in the traditional landscapes of his youth, shaped under the watchful eye of the local painter François Salmon. Upon entering the prestigious École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in 1837, Antigna found himself immersed in a world of academic rigor, studying under masters such as Sébastien Norblin de la Gourdaine and the renowned Paul Delaroche.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Alexandre Antigna reproductions

7of 17

Gari Melchers

Amerikansk From Detroit Naturalistisk maleri On Wikipedia in 10 of 32 languages

Gari Melchers

Født i Detroits industrielle hjerte i 1860, trådte Julius Garibaldi Melchers —ofte kærligt kendt som Gari—frem som en lysende skikkelse i det sene nittende århundredes kunstverden. Hans kunstneriske udvikling blev formet i de prestigefyldte sale på École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts i Paris. Under Gustave Boulangers strenge vejledning mestrede Melchers de klassiske fundamenter inden for komposition og form, men han forblev evigt fortryllet af sin tids spirende bevægelser.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Gari Melchers reproductions

9of 17

Pietro Cavallini

Italiensk From Rom Romersk naturalisme

Pietro Cavallini

Han blev født omkring 1240 i Rom, og hans liv forbliver indhyllet i en vis relativ uklarhed—historiske optegnelser viser, at han underskrev sit værk som pictor romanus, hvilket antyder en dyb forbindelse til basilikaen San Paolo fuori le Mura, hvor han påbegyndte sin lysende karriere.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Pietro Cavallini reproductions

10of 17

Thorolf Holmboe

Norwegian From Vefsn Municipality ['Impressionism', 'Naturalism'] On Wikipedia in 8 of 32 languages

Thorolf Holmboe

Thorolf Holmboe (1866-1935) stands as a pivotal figure in late 19th and early 20th-century Norwegian art, a painter whose evocative landscapes and intimate portraits captured the spirit of his homeland – particularly its rugged northern regions. His career spanned diverse styles, from early Naturalism and Impressionism to a mature aesthetic informed by Symbolism and a deep appreciation for traditional craftsmanship, ultimately establishing him as one of Norway’s most celebrated artists.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Thorolf Holmboe reproductions

11of 17

Archibald Thorburn

From Lasswade On Wikipedia in 6 of 32 languages

Archibald Thorburn

Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935) var en britisk maler, der er kendt for sine utroligt detaljerede og fængslende naturalistische fremstillinger af vildtlevende dyr, især fugle. Han betragtes som en central figur i udviklingen af det naturlige kunstmaleri i Storbritannien i slutningen af det 19. og begyndelsen af det 20. århundrede. Thorburn blev født i Lasswade, nær Edinburgh, i 1860.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Archibald Thorburn reproductions

12of 17

Peter Henry Emerson

British Straight photography, Pictorialism

Peter Henry Emerson

A distant relative of both Samuel Morse and Ralph Waldo Emerson, young Peter’s early years were shaped by the rhythms of plantation life, a world steeped in natural beauty but also marked by the complexities of colonial society.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Peter Henry Emerson reproductions

13of 17

Giovanni Costa

Italian From Rome Macchiaioli, Landscape On Wikipedia in 7 of 32 languages

Giovanni Costa

Giovanni Costa (1826-1903), often known as Nino Costa, was more than just an Italian landscape painter; he was a pivotal figure in the burgeoning movement to reconnect art with direct observation of nature. Costa’s artistic journey began with formal training at the Jesuit college in Montefiascone and later at the Collegio Bandinelli in Rome, where he honed his drawing skills under the tutelage of Luigi Durantini.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Giovanni Costa reproductions

14of 17

Henrique Pousão

Portugisisk From Vila Viçosa Naturalisme & Impressionisme On Wikipedia in 7 of 32 languages

Henrique Pousão

henrique césar de araújos pousão, en berømt portugisisk maler, blev født den 1. januar 1859 i Vila Viçosa, Portugal. Som søn af en dommer fra en velstående familie i Alentejo, var Poussãos kunstneriske talent tydeligt allerede i en ung alder. Han påbegyndte sin akademiske rejse ved de skønne kunsters akademi i Porto, hvor han dimitterede i 1879 med fremragende karakterer og adskillige priser.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · Henrique Pousão reproductions

16of 17

John Woodhouse Audubon

American From Henderson Wildlife Painting On Wikipedia in 2 of 32 languages

John Woodhouse Audubon

John Woodhouse Audubon (1812 – 1862) stands as a testament to artistic dedication and scientific curiosity—a rare confluence that yielded extraordinary results. Born in Kentucky, Audubon’s formative years were steeped in the traditions of American frontier life. Audubon’s artistic career gained significant momentum with the monumental undertaking of The Birds of America, Second Edition, which commenced in 1839 and concluded in 1843.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works · John Woodhouse Audubon reproductions

17of 17

Frank Mcclure

American American Naturalism

Frank Mcclure

Frank McClure (1896-1979) remains a singular, evocative figure in the tapestry of American art, a creator whose work bridged the visceral realities of American Naturalism with the burgeoning emotional depths of Abstract Expressionism. Born in Lafayette, Indiana, McClure’s early years were steeped in the dualities of the American heartland—a landscape where the serene beauty of nature often collided with the grit and upheaval of a rapidly industrializing nation.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

Pictures worth knowing

Famous Naturalist works to recognise

  1. October - gathering potatoes af Jules Bastien-Lepage

    October - gathering potatoes

    Jules Bastien-Lepage

    National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

  2. Albertine af Christian Krohg

    Albertine

    Christian Krohg

    1884 · Statens Museum for Kunst, København

  3. Rolla af Henri Gervex

    Rolla

    Henri Gervex

    Musée d'Orsay, Paris

  4. Fado af José Malhoa

    Fado

    José Malhoa

    1910 · Lisboa Municipal Archive, Lisbon

  5. Study Of A Young Girl af William Henry Hunt

    Study Of A Young Girl

    William Henry Hunt

  6. La halte forcée af Alexandre Antigna

    La halte forcée

    Alexandre Antigna

  7. Vespers af Gari Melchers

    Vespers

    Gari Melchers

    1888 · Detroit Institute of Arts

  8. Beach of the fishermen (Póvoa de Varzim) af António Carvalho Da Silva Porto

    Beach of the fishermen (Póvoa de Varzim)

    António Carvalho Da Silva Porto

    1888 · Soares dos Reis National Museum, Porto

When it happened

Naturalist, step by step

  1. 1296
  2. 1846
  3. 1882
  4. 1884
  5. 1888
  6. 1888
  7. 1902
  8. 1910

Fun figures

The numbers behind the list

Just the names

List of 17 famous Naturalist malere to know

  1. 1Jules Bastien-LepageJules Bastien-Lepage1848–1884
  2. 2Christian KrohgChristian KrohgNorsk · 1852–1925
  3. 3Henri GervexHenri Gervex1852–1929
  4. 4José MalhoaJosé MalhoaPortugisisk · 1855–1933
  5. 5William Henry HuntWilliam Henry Hunt1827–1910
  6. 6Alexandre AntignaAlexandre AntignaFrench · 1817–1878
  7. 7Gari MelchersGari MelchersAmerikansk · 1860–1932
  8. 8António Carvalho Da Silva PortoAntónio Carvalho Da Silva Porto1850–1893
  9. 9Pietro CavalliniPietro CavalliniItaliensk · 1240–1330
  10. 10Thorolf HolmboeThorolf HolmboeNorwegian · 1866–1935
  11. 11Archibald ThorburnArchibald Thorburn1860–1935
  12. 12Peter Henry EmersonPeter Henry EmersonBritish · 1856–1936
  13. 13Giovanni CostaGiovanni CostaItalian · 1826–1903
  14. 14Henrique PousãoHenrique PousãoPortugisisk · 1859–1884
  15. 15Carl RungiusCarl RungiusGerman and American · 1869–1959
  16. 16John Woodhouse AudubonJohn Woodhouse AudubonAmerican · 1812–1862
  17. 17Frank McclureFrank McclureAmerican · 1896–1979

Good questions

What people ask about Naturalist

  • Who is the most famous Naturalist maler?

    Jules Bastien-Lepage (#1) is first in this ranking, followed by Christian Krohg (#2) and Henri Gervex (#3).

  • Who are the 5 most famous Naturalist malere?

  • Who was the first Naturalist maler?

    The earliest-born maler in this list is Pietro Cavallini (#9), born in 1240.

  • When were most Naturalist malere born?

    Most malere in this list were born in the 19th århundrede (16 of 17), between 1240 and 1896 overall.

  • What techniques did Naturalist malere use?

    “Han omfavnede plein air-maleriet og arbejdede direkte fra naturen for at fange lysets flygtige effekter og atmosfæren.” — from our biography of Jules Bastien-Lepage (#1).

  • Where are the great works of Naturalist art today?

    The museums holding the most key works of this list are Detroit Institute of Arts (2), Soares dos Reis National Museum (2) og Van Gogh Museet (1).

  • Which country produced the most Naturalist malere?

    Portugal: 3 of the 17 malere in this list were born there, then Frankrig (2) og Storbritannien (2).

  • Can I order a painting by a famous Naturalist maler?

    Our catalogue holds 1,403 works by these malere. Each one can be ordered as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print.

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