The artwork titled “At the foot of the Salève,” created by Ferdinand Hodler in 1890, is an oil on canvas painting. This piece, belonging to the Realism art movement, measures 70 by 160 centimeters and falls under the landscape genre. Currently, the artwork is housed in the Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The artwork depicts a serene natural landscape at the foot of the Salève mountain. Dominated by a rich palette of greens and blues, the scene captures a lush, verdant environment. An array of tall grasses and dense foliage appears in the foreground, leading the eye towards a tranquil water body that meanders through the landscape. In the background, the rugged formation of the Salève mountain rises, partially covered with trees and bushes, and under a clear, azure sky. The competent handling of light and shadow showcases the artist’s dedication to realism, lending the painting a vivid and lifelike quality, encapsulating the essence of a peaceful and untouched natural setting.
