Landscape with Figure and Houses, 1886

This ethereal landscape exemplifies schuffenecker’s best work in pastel. Massive lichen-covered rocks, heightened by flecks of mauve, dominate the foreground, dwarfing a tiny figure who pauses beside a fence to contemplate a golden field of wheat. The artist used a dense network of parallel strokes to create the effect of a shimmering mirage. Date: 1886. Place of creation: France, 19th century. Dimensions: Sheet: 63 x 78.5 cm (24 13/16 x 30 7/8 in.). Medium: pastel. Collection: Cleveland Museum of Art.