The French Barbizon School was an art movement that emerged in the mid-19th century, primarily focused on landscape painting. Located near the village of Barbizon, artists sought to capture the natural beauty of the French countryside, moving away from the idealized forms of academic art. Key figures included Jean-François Millet, Theodore Rousseau, and Camille Corot. This movement laid the groundwork for later developments in Impressionism by emphasizing direct observation of nature and the effects of light. The Barbizon artists often painted en plein air, or outdoors, which allowed them to depict scenes with greater authenticity and spontaneity.