William Baptiste Baird

WILLIAM BAPTISTE BAIRD (USA, 1867-France, 1929).
"Landscape with cows".
Oil on canvas.
Signed.
Frame of epoch.
Measurements: 54 x 81 cm; 70 x 98 x 5 cm (frame).

As can be seen in this painting, the work of William Baptiste Baird was influenced by the Barbizon School, a movement of landscape painters who worked in the forest of Fontainebleau, near Paris. Like them, Baird focused on realistic and heartfelt depictions of nature, painting outdoors to capture the light and atmosphere of the moment. The palette is dominated by ranges of greens and ochers, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and a deep connection to 19th century rural life. His specialty was bucolic landscapes and farm scenes. Animals, especially cattle, sheep, chickens and rabbits, are recurring protagonists in his canvases, always harmoniously integrated into the natural environment.

William Baptiste Baird was born in Chicago in 1867 and later moved to Paris to complete his training. In 1872 he exhibited at the official Paris Salon, and exhibited again in 1899, after it was renamed the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français (in 1881). He worked in France (in Paris and in the forest of Fontainebleau) and in Switzerland.