Alpine Landscape, The Handegg, Switzerland

Jean Léon Gérôme built his reputation on grand scenes of ancient Rome and the bazaars of the Middle East, all sharp lines and glossy finish. So this quiet mountain view comes as a bit of a surprise. He painted it in 1870, probably during a trip through Switzerland, and the spot is Handegg in the Bernese Alps, a rocky region famous for its waterfalls and steep drops. Rows of tall fir trees fill the front of the scene, a dead bleached trunk stands out like a bone among them, and the peaks behind melt into gentle blues and grays.

The charm here lies in how relaxed it feels. Gone is the tight, controlled detail Gérôme brought to his major studio works. This one reads like a quick outdoor sketch, made to catch the feeling of a still day up in the mountains. Cool light settles over the scene, boulders lie scattered on the ground, and a few small dark figures near the trees remind us just how small a person seems against so much rock and sky. Nothing about it strains for effect, and that is part of its appeal. Even an artist known for spectacle clearly liked to sit alone with nature and simply paint what was in front of him.