Written in French. In an open letter written in 1855, the landscape painter Asher B. Durand advised students not to study in the renowned studios and instead urged them to work outdoors and confront themselves with the "workshop of nature". Many young artists followed his recommendations. The direct observation of nature allows them to reach a form of authenticity when they return to paint in their studios. Later, American artists would reject the servile imitation of nature and turn to creations based on emotion and expressiveness. Starting in the 1880s, American artists painting
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