The Forest of Fontainebleau is celebrated not only for its lush greenery but also for its distinctive limestone and sandstone rock formations. Weathered boulders, rocky outcrops, and dramatic gorges formed in this area over millions of years of erosion. These sites became popular destinations for tourists and hikers, as well as geologists and naturalists. Artists including Théophile Chauvel and Théodore Rousseau found inspiration in the beauty of the rugged landscape and these traces of prehistoric weather. While Rousseau’s etching incorporates the rock formations as part of an ecosystem, Chauvel’s work draws attention to their stark geometry through the play of natural light and shadow on stone.