L I TTL E B O O K S O N A R T

GENERAL EDITOR : CY RIL DAVENPORT

COR OT L I T T L E BO O K S O N A R T

1 01 2s 6d. n et Demy 6 0. . .

S U B J E C T S

I K N MINIATU RES . AL CE COR RA B DWA D ALMA CK OOKPLATES . E R R E H B WA T G E K A . . L E RT. RS R AR T H B W T OMAN . . . AL ERS

H MRS . . . A W Y T E ARTS OF JAPAN . C M S L E W R V N P T JE ELLE Y . C . DA E OR

R R MRS . H . N N CH IST IN A T. JE ER R RS H N N R A T M . . OU LADY IN . JE ER HR M B H N N C ISTIAN SY OLISM . . JE ER W B ADLEY ILLUMINATED MSS . J . . R R W ENAMELS . M S . NELSON DA SON R G N MEw FURNITU E . E A

A R T I S T S

R GEO GE PA TON OMNEY. R S R I N DU ER. L. JESS E ALLE IM REYNOLDS . J . S E W I R K TCH Y A S . . . D S E LE TT M SS E . PPN E H K IPT N HO R . . P . K . S O

T R R RAN CE Y ELL-GILL U NE . F S T RR H R H GAN MEw OGA T . E B - S FORTUN EE DE I LE U RNE JONE . L S K N LEIGHTON . ALICE COR RA

R MRS . . HA P B A D . A S REM N T . E R

I I WI B O C and . R . I B T V ELASQUEZ. W LF R D L ERF R E A G L ER V K I MA WO D A D C . . G S LL O N Y M SS M . V ! H DA ID CO . ART UR TOMSO N

HOLBEIN . BEATRICE FORTESCUE R T R N MR A RD C HEL BI T N L an d S A . POLL O OT . E S I C . I ETTA PEACOC K M LLET. N N CLAUDE . E . DILLO R Z B H Z D G EU E AND OUC ER . ELI A F . POLLAR R D v RAPHAEL . A . . R N URST C O R O T

ET H E L B I R N S TI N G L

A N D A L I C E P O L L A R D

WITH TWENTY -SEVEN ILLUSTRATIONS

M T E HU E N CO .

6 E ! T R w . 3 S SE S E E T c . LO N DO N

C O N T E N T S

CHAPTER I BI RTH AND PA R ENTAGE — ’ — — Birth Parents occupation E arly c hildhood School at R ouen eune on—Fai s to ma e his mar —Leaves sc o —R e turns M . g l k k h ol J — — to Paris Appren tice d to a draper Becomes town trave ller — — — Change of career First studies in art Michallon The Studio — — — Suisse First sketch Gratitu de to Michallon Victor Bertin as master gag e CHAPTER II S T U D E N T L I F E — — First visit to Rome Frien ds and compan ions Life in R ome — — Friendship with Align y First Salon pictures R eturn to — ’ — — France The house at Ville d Avray Me thods of work The — — — Salon of 1 83 I Change of style Short tour in France Chartres — — — “ Ital ian influence The Salon of 1 83 3 The Catacombs ’ — — Corot s excessive modesty His first medal Second visit to —“ Italy Recalled to Fran ce Hagar in the Wilderness “ " “ ” erome — The a t sm of r st in the u rc of St . J B p i Ch i Ch h

St. Nicholas du Chardonne t CHAPTER III — — SUCCESS MIDDLE AGE OLD AGE AND DEATH — — The Quai Voltaire Fran cais The first purchaser Death of — — — Corot sen ior Third visit to Italy Love of Nature The Le gion — — of Honour First Hanging Committee of the Sal on U n iversal — — — Exhibition of 1 855 Corot visits London The salons Death ' f Dutilleux— e e f ar s— r t s ar e ontr ut ons to o M . Si g o P i Co o l g c ib i — public charities Sketching tour in North of France The ' ’ — — méda zl le d 1¢on n eu r Ger6me Special gold medal for the — — ' — Master English co -operation Geofiroy Dec haume Death ' of Mme Sen ne on — orot s - ea t — Prese n tat on of the . g C ill h l h i — — — medal Last exhibits for the Salon Increased ill -health Death

1 QQ Q 1 Q

C O N T E N T S

CHAPTER I BI RTH AND PA RENTAGE — ' — — Birth Parents occupation E arly c hildhood School at R ouen eune on—Fai s to ma e his mar —Le aves sc oo —R eturns M . g l k k h l J — — to Paris Appren tice d to a draper Becomes town traveller — — — Change of career First studies in art Michallon The Studio — — — Suisse First Sketch Gratitu de to Michallon Victor Bertin as master gag e CHAPTER II S T U D E N T L I F E — — First visit to R ome Friends and companions Life in R ome — Friendship with Align y First Sal on pictures R eturn to — ’ — — France The house at Vill e d Avray Me thods of work The — — — Salon of 1 83 r Change of style Short tour in France Chartres “ " - — — I tal ian influence The Sal on of 1 83 3 The Catacombs ' — — Corot s excessive modesty His first medal Second visit to —“ Italy Recalled to Fran ce Hagar in the Wilderness “ " “ " er6me — The a t sm f r st in the ur of St. J B p i o Ch i Ch ch

St. Nicholas du Chardonne t CHAPTER III

- — SUCCESS MIDDLE AGE OLD AGE AND DEATH — — The Quai Voltaire Francais The first purchaser Death of — — — Corot sen ior Third visit to Italy Love of Nature The Le gion — — of H onour First Hangin g Committee of the Salon U n iversal — — — Exhibition of r85 5 Corot vis its London The sal ons Death ’ f Dutil e — f s— ar e ntr ut ns t o M . l ux Siege o Pari Corot s l g co ib io o — public charities Ske tching tour in North of France The ’ — — méda i l le d 1wn n eu r Ger6me Spec ial gold me dal for the “ — — ' — Master E nglish co -operation Geofiroy Dec haume Death ' Mm nne n rot s - ea t — resen tat on of the of e . Se go Co ill h l h P i — — — medal Last exhibits for the Salon I ncreased ill -health Death

1 R 0 0 1 Q C H A P T E R I V — — FUNERAL E! HIBITION MEMO RIALS — Funeral Simplicity of the service Funeral oration at Pere -la — — ' Chaise Impressive sc ene Posthumous e x hibition of Corot s pain tings Preliminary announcemen t Propose d memorial — — Subscription lis t Proceeds of the E x hibition Salon of 1 875 ' — Prices paid for CorOt s work from 1 875 to r903 Descriptions of pain tings pag e CHAPTER V C O R O T T H E M A N ' — — — Corot s life-story Early youth H ome treatmen t Treatmen t by — — — the world His humility Public criticism Devo tion to his — — — ' art His simplic ity His generosity Madame Mille t s legacy — — ' Frie ndships Puri ty of life and feeling I n differe nce to life s — — passions Absorption in his work Estimate of his ow n work — — Portraits of Corot His unromantic aspect Peasan t ancestry Dress an d personal characteristics CHAPTER VI COROT THE A RTIST — Simplici ty of character s hown in his work Variety in work — — Architecture Open -air studies Freshness of vision and re . — produc tion Love of N ature in her peacefu l moods The ” Towing-path I nfluence of early teaching Hard touch — ’ — ' — ' Flat colour Jal s cri tic ism Millais opin ion Nature s elusive — — n ess Four essen tials for a painter N u mber of pain tings in a — — — — year Figures Fl esh tin ts The classical style Chesneau on — classical landscape Hamle t The Destruction of Sodom “ " Alfre d de Musse t and the Etoile du Soir Decorative pa in ting CHAPTER VII R R C ITICISM , CONTEMPORA Y AND LATER — — — — G ustave Planche Thore Edmond About Pau l Man tz Accusa tion of monotony Buisson Ernest Chesnea u The A rt ’ ’ j ourna l of 1 867 Chaumelin and L A r t Con tcmpora zn The

P ort ol io 1 8 0 A. . c ne Fre er c e more f , 7 H Bi k ll d i k W d CONTENTS — — R . . te en n om ns m v n e er A M . S v so C y Carr Mada e a R enss la — — Albert Wolff Abse nce of real Fre nch criticism His pas torals — — ’ — The pseudo-classical school Corot s figures R ené-Menard Jean R ousseau pag e 1 09 CHAPTER V III METHODS OF PAINTING ' — The secre t of Corot s gen ius Actual methods described by — — Philippe Burty Ton e n umbers Several distinct methods — Form more important than detail George M oore and Corot — R ecogn ition of val ues Makes his ow n laws and abides by the m

- — — All great gen ius p rolific Historic landscape Possum “ " — - — Claude Lorraine The sty le d ra m/ewe Crome Cons table — — Bon ington Corot not directly i nfluenced by Con stable ’ — — Nature s mobility Corot essen tially a dreamer N o consc ious — methods N o man ne risms CHAPTER I! F RESCOES AND DECORATI V E WORK ’ — — Corot s Special gifts for the w ork What frescoes should b e Man y — of his w all -paintings not true fresc oes Four frescoes in Ville ' — — ’ d Avray Church The ir reprod uction Prince Paul Demidofi s ” — — H6te l Pan els for Decamps Fresc oes purc hased by Sir ’ re eri Le ton— r t and eu —M Giraud s screen F d c igh Co o Fl ry . ' — Madame Corot s birthday The paintings in the su mmer-house ’ ’ — — - — n s t Da b i n s ouse M R o ert s at room M . Pa e l a u g y h . b b h ’ — — R ob aut s criticisms Mi nor decorati ve work Design for tapes ' ne —M R o r ues a ette try pa l . d ig p l

F R R A ALPHABETICAL LIST O PICTU ES , F ESCOES , ND C W OF OW R C ET HINGS , ITH NAMES NE S, PUBLI GALLERIES AND CHU RCHES I N WHICH THEY A RE TO BE FOUND

C R ! I O R R CCO R PI TU ES E HIBITED N SAL NS, A ANGED A D IN G TO DATE BIBLIOGRAPHY INDE!

LI S T O F I LLU STRA T I ON S

JEAN BAPTISTE CAMILLE COROT ’ LE BOU QU ET D A RB RES DANS LES DU NEs THE GOATIIE RD (CASTEL GANDOLFO) l Th vre F m P to ra F H fstaen . e Lou . r an o a ho g ph by . g DAPHNIS ET CHLOE V I RON s DE R 1 866 E N OME, LA ROUTE D A RRAS

Louvre From oto ra Hanfstaen l . The . a ph g ph by F . g EV ENING LIGHT EATEAU SOUS LES SAULEs LE PECHEU R V U E DE TOSCANE

’ SOUV ENI R D ITALIE LE BAIN DE DIANE

m oto ra iraudon . Fro . G The Louvre . a ph g ph by A MORNING a e Reproduced by kind permission of Lady Want g . NOON n a Wanta e R eproduced by kind permissio of L dy g . EV ENING nta e R eproduced by kind permission of Lady Wa g . NIGHT n ta e Reproduced by kin d permISSIon of Lady Wa g . LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS SOLEIL COUCHANT PAY SAGE NORMAND LE MA RA IS LANDSCAPE DANSE ANTIQUE THE WOOD GATHERER UNE MATINEE The Louvre From oto ra Hanfstaen l . a ph g ph by F . g . LA ROUTE DE SEV RES Louvre From oto ra Hanfstaen l The . a ph g ph by F . g . NY MPHS AND FAUN r m ot ra Ha The Louvre . F o o . nfstaen l a ph g ph by F g . THE LAK E L v e From to ra Hanfsta n The ou r . o . e l a ph g ph by F g .

The pictures against which no source is mentioned are from the r t s useum B i i h M . C O R O T

C H A PTE R I

BIRTH AND PAR ENTAGE

— ’ — — Birth Parents occupati on Early childhood School at ou n —M un on — a s to make his mark— L aves R e . Je eg F il e — — school Return s to Paris Appren ticed to a draper — — Becomes tow n traveller Change o f career First studies — — — in art Michallon The Studio Suisse First sketch Grat tude to Michall on — Victor er n a ma t r i B ti s s e .

EAN BAPTISTE CAMILLE C O ROT w as n in a o n 2 0th 1 His a bor P ris July , 796 . f ther a n n occupied some sm ll post u der Governme t , a n a o f n a n the ex ct ture which is u cert i . His w as a n an d a a a mother milli er , m n ged business in du Bac a a the Rue , where she cquired semi a n an fashion able reput tio . Je B aptiste w as an n s o n an a o ly , but his mother bore her husb d lso a O f a a two d ughters . the ch r cters o f these is n n a girls little k ow . The elder m rried a M S en n e o n to a O ld a e an d . g , lived good g , a fa died but few weeks before her mous brother . B 2 COROT

a a an d After the de th of their f ther , the brother sister were in the habit Of passi n g some part Of each year together in their villa at Ville ’ d Avra M had a n y. . Corot bought this vill whe n n an d f t o as his childre were you g , le t it them a a a joint possession t his de th . a a romen t n a M d me F , the you ger d ughter , died soon after her m arriage an d left no chil

n . dre Her dowry , therefore , reverted to her — family a fact of the greatest importan ce to a as w as C mille , it this sum which formed the a a an a a b sis of the llow ce m de him by his f ther , in as a a a a order , we sh ll fterw rds rel te more n a a to fully , to e ble him to give up the tr de had n an d a which he bee put , which he h ted , an d to devote himself to the art he s o greatly loved . If Camille showed an y un usual qualities as a n ot to a a f n child , these do seem h ve m de su ficie t impression o n his common place parents to h ave n fo r c an bee recorded by them , we discover none of the an ecdotes usually to be found re gardin g the childhood Of every famous m an o r an a w as a a d wom . Th t he very mi able chil is an a n in a more th prob ble , si ce dult life the ge n tlen ess an d sweetn ess of his disposition struck everyon e with whom he came into c o n a a of n at of t ct . We he r rejoici gs the birth the BIRTH AND PARENTAGE 3 b o an d a a a y, would gl dly believe th t other th n merely material hopes prompted that rejoici n g f an d but from the views o life expressed by M . M adame Corot when the child had grow n to a man are n n a be , we more i cli ed to think th t visions of a capable son with commerci al in n a in a f s ti c ts , re dy the future to c rry yet urther the prosperous business the parents had built up lay at the root Of the pleasure Shown at a his arriv l . We smile when we realise ho w these hopes a an d n at n were defe ted , we wo der the bli dness

a n n a n o f the p re ts , who ever re lly recognised o r ’ an d valued their child s genius , would S O in finitely h a ve preferred a s o n o f the norm al an d n a as commo pl ce kind , such doubtless their o n all neighbours sides rejoiced over . ’ a n to C or It w as prob bly owi g M . ot s hon our able employment under Government that he owed the privilege of bein g able to send his s o n a at at a a to school Rouen h lf the usu l fees . a a This privilege he embr ced e gerly , an d from the age of eleven ( 1 8 07) un til th at of sixteen ( 1 8 1 2 ) Camille rem ained a pupil in the Rouen n Lycée . One of the co ditions of these scholarships w as th at the paren ts of a pupil S hould find someone residi n g in the neighbour hood Of the school who would ac t as their rep re 4 COROT s en tative and m ake himself responsible fo r the

a . n C orots . eu n e o n schol r A frie d of the , M J g , a n and undertook this duty tow rds you g Corot , a a to a ppe rs h ve considered himself responsible , a n the w a in mo gst other things , for y which the boy occupied his holidays an d his out-Of- school

w as in a a n hours . He the h bit therefore of t ki g a a C mille for long w lks , during which , how Of a a n ever , being himself t citurn dispositio , he m ade little attempt to en tertain his young com n n n a n panio , co te ting himself with t ki g him by

a b - a n an n solit ry y p ths , u der br chi g trees or ’ a along the water s edge . These sombre w n rin s n de g , whe twilight filled the woods with a a a n mystery , g ve free rein to the just w keni g l ad can n a n . imagi tio of the We guess , from in his a a a f the results l ter ye rs , with wh t orms he peopled the silent gl ades a roun d him and ’ judge of the rich soil of the boy s min d into a an d which the seeds of rom nce fell flourished . Dumes n il attributes to these early i n fluences ’ a a the dre my tendencies of the rtist s future , although Corot himself is i n clin ed to attribute them to the first years which he spen t at his ’ ’

n at d Avra . p are ts home the Ville y Here , he a as a man n a tells us , th t young , ight fter night foun d him dreamily watchin g the mists as they rose an d spread over the pond until they

a n a a his ppre ticeship to tr de , m ke pictures upon the reverse side of his exercises ? Was thi s really the cause of his failure to m ake an y mark upon his school during the whole course of his a ? In a n as was st y truth , such dr wi g the boy taught may n ever have appeared to him to bear even the most distan t relationship to the a a pictures Of his dre ms . Doubtless he f iled to s ee his o w n figure as the cen tral on e O f his a o r to a his dre ms , re lise the possibility of powers to create an d perpetu ate for all time the glories even then formi n g in his young n mi d . At the age of sixtee n Camille left Rouen an d n to a a at n retur ed P ris , where his f ther o ce appren ticed him to a draper to lea rn the trade and to acquire those business h abits which were to fit him fo r his future respon sible posi E tion as head of a mercantile house . ven ’ C o rot s wa rmest admirers can n ot claim for him ’ th at he shon e in the ch aracter of draper s a a a n a ssist nt . Perh ps his ge tle temper ment gave him patience to en dure fo r eight years an a n a n ot Occup tio th t he detested . But it did prevent him from dreaming over the coun ters an d servi n g customers in s o perfun ctory a m an n er th at they raised complai n ts agai n st a at him to his employer . This gentlem n

BIRTH AND PARENTAGE 7

n a an n him le gth , hopeless of m king ythi g of n a of i doors , tr nsferred him to the post town a an d an n tr veller , this ch ge Of positio led to the climax . At th at period in France olive- gree n w as the a a in a a an d w as a f shion ble colour m teri ls , gre tly da n a sought after . One y the you g tr veller return ed with great el ation to his m aster ; he had at le n gth sold a piece Of cloth ! It w as

- D in in n elala w as a . Olive gree M . desp ir Do I keep travellers th at they may sell olive- green cloth to outsiders when o u r ow n customers are teari n g each other to pieces to procure some Of it ? The duty of a traveller is to palm ’ ” O ff a as a l st season s goods the l test novelty . ’ n r to a a a This ope ed C o o t s eyes the ctu l situ tion . He w as expected to lie He wen t forthwith to a an d a a him his f ther pl ced the m tter before ,

n n at a his a an d co fessi g l st the desire Of he rt , ’ begging his parent s permission to become a

painter . ’ In ffi n Delalain s a a a xi g M . n me to the bove story we must confess th at we may be doing an a i njustice to the memory o f a worthy gentlem n . had two an d The fact is th at Corot employers , it is impossible to s ay with which of the two n n Du the green cloth episode is co ected . mesn il tells us that Camille entered on his 8 COROT

n a n Delalain busi ess c reer u der M . , in the Rue

in t . H on o ré an d . a S , ended it with M R tier , the Rue de Richelieu an d of the secon d employer he writes that he w as a man full Of i n dulge n ce ’ — for the youth s desire to pai n t a desire which

had a had o n n a he never conce led , but the co tr ry

a n n a followed on every occ sio , hidi g his dr wings

n ac when necessary under the cou ter . This

a count would m ake M . R tier the hero of the — green cloth a s u pposition which does n o t accord with the other ch aracteristics related ’ C o rot s a ff as to Of him . But biogr phers di er

a an d are n a a n det ils , we u ble to Obt i evidence

n a to n enough to e ble us decide betwee them . If it be true that the second employer w as a

Of a n o n a man symp thy , who t o ly toler ted ’ Camille s h abit Of sketchi n g in season and o u t

f a n a n n an his n o se so , but lso cou te ced you g ’ — assistant s atten d ance un known to his people

— n n ar at a eveni g t school (the Studio Suisse) ,

is dilfi where he studied from the life , it not cult to believe th at it w as con sideration fo r his employé which led to his tran sference to ma o the post of town traveller . We y even g ’ further an d see in the master s expressed de spair at ever m aking the b oy i n to a successful merchant an indirect method of helping him to BIRTH AND PA RENTAGE 9 carry out his own desire of leavi n g trade an d n ar devoti g himself to t . We h ave n o actu al proof th at Camille ever a n a and n tte ded night school ; , i deed , the con ditio n s of depen den ce in which his paren ts held him make it seem very improbable th at he would have been able to do so without their n a w as n u k owledge . At the s me time , it doubtedly duri n g the period of his appren tice ship th at Corot made the acqu aintan ce of the a n Mic hallo n a a young p i ter , who fterw rds

’ gained renown by carryi n g ofi the first Prix an a de Rome awarded for historical l dsc pe . It does not appear probable th at the youn g ’ men met either in the draper s shop or in the ’ a a n an d n house of C mille s p re ts , this meeti g with Michallon certain ly gives colour to the ’ acco unt of C o rot s v isits to the Studio Suisse — a a a n at an d studio of gre t reput tio the time , therefore exceedi n gly likely to h ave been a fa a n of Mic hallo n ff vourite h u t . Albert Wol tells u s that there were m an y storms before the ’ ’ father s co n sen t w as obtai n ed to his son s n n a a followi g the profession of a rtist . C mille had served the draper eight years before the a a an d dénouement recorded bove took pl ce , this lon g period of in efli c ien cy must h ave proved even to his reluctan t father the im 10 COROT

a a n an in prob bility of his m ki g y success trade . But he would not give up his hope without a n a w as struggle . Victor Berti , the rtist , called in to give an Opi n ion as to an y artistic a n a n in n an d his t le t l te t the you g Corot , on pron ou n ci n g his decided con viction th at the

’ a w as a m e a an n a t lent there , Corot g ve u gr cious ’ and un willi n g con sen t to his son s exch an gi n g ” a useful an d hon ourable career fo r that

in w as a a . which , his eyes , but useless p stime “ ” a n I h ve give your sisters dowries , he a o u had n a far a s id , but for y I desti ed l rger o n e a portion , which would h ve set you up in a a n respect ble busi ess for life . But for the career which you h ave chosen I c an give you n o a a a an a n c pit l . I will m ke you llowa ce 60 a a and a of £ ye r , with th t you must be

n . s o a and conte t Since it must be , t ke it be a a w as n h ppy . C mille delighted He flu g his arms arou n d his father an d th an ked him “ n a with deep emotio . You m ke me more ” a a ! a th n h ppy he excl imed .

’ In rel atin g this an ecdote WOlfi commen ts on the fact that it w as Berti n who discovered the “ a n in n and a a w as t le t you g Corot , rem rks th t it ” n n the best thi g Berti ever did for posterity . ’ “ Bertin s idea of m aking somethi n g of the ” l ad w as to try and turn him into a second

1 2 COROT hasteni n g at on ce to a shOp he purch ased the a a a an d a n necess ry m teri ls , without even w iti g an n n n to choose i spiri g poi t of view , settled n a n a himself dow on the qu y , e rly Opposite his ’ a an d an a his f ther s house , beg to p int first picture . — n a This picture the Sei e , with view of the — city in the distance w as always to be fou n d ’ n in a an d in after years h a ging the rtist s studio , w as an object of real affection to him up to i a a his a a the day of h s de th . M ny of c nv ses a o n e a served him for more th n picture , the e rlier effort being effaced an d replaced with an other one w as a a in his subject , but this lmost s cred

an d a n . eyes , rem i ed entirely untouched He used to show it with pride and pleasure to every visitor an d recount with emotion the history of its a a n n execution N tur lly e ough , whe the n m n as at you g a w settled his new work , his ’ mother s e mployees came in great curiosity to “ ” a w as n see how M aster C mille getti g on . f “ O n e o . a these girls , Mlle Rose he c lled a a n an d all her , rem ined frie d visitor her life , an d Corot used to sigh in his l ater d ays over the ravages which time had wrought both in an d in an his a him the comp ion of youth , lthough “ it had a his a n sp red p i ting . See , he would a is as da and excl im , this fresh as the y hour

BIRTH AND PARENTAGE 1 3

on a n is which I p i ted it , but where our youth , ’ an d n Mlle . Rose s mi e But pictures pai n ted by the light of n ature alone were not con sidered possible in those a a a d ys , so Corot proceeded to choose m ster . What more n atural th an th at he should place Mic hallon w ho w as a a himself under , lre dy his frien d ? In writi n g to o n e of his biographers “ Corot said th at he left school at eighteen (in 1 8 1 2 ) and w as in busi n ess for eight years so ’ as a n Mic hallon s if, is prob ble , he we t to studio a n a n in 1 8 2 t a 0. o ce , it would h ve bee the ye r ’ Michallo n s - a n an d work , old f shio ed stereo as it a a w as n f typed ppe rs to us , evertheless ar n a an a a n n n an d less conve tion l th th t of V le cie es , in a fin d in n truth , by c reful study we him sig s n n a of the forthcomi g ew school . In l ter life Corot himself ackn owledges a debt of gratitude to his first master for the precepts which he “ had an a a instilled . To st d f ce to f ce with N ature ; to ren der her with exactitude ; to paint wh at you s ee an d reproduce the impression you ” a h ve yourself received , these were his orders . “ I m ade my first drawi n g from n ature at ” “ a n Arcueil , s ys Corot , u der the eye of the pai n ter whose on ly advice to me w as to ren der with the utmost fidelity everythi n g th at I s aw His has has before me . lesson been useful ; it 1 4 COROT rem ai n ed the invariable backgroun d of my dis — position a disposition always incli n ed to ” accuracy . Mic hallo n in 1 8 2 2 an d died September , , ’ C o ro t s n x a w as n e t m ster Victor Berti , who u n doubtedly ex ercised a lastin g in fluen ce o n his ’ n as a n pupil s work . Berti himself w a p i ter of a a a an a an d historic l or cl ssic l l dsc pe , worked in a a a an n the most pproved c demic m er . He — taught Corot to draw with accuracy the result of which teachi n g is clearly to be foun d in some — of his architectural drawi n gs an d put him through such a severe course of classical com ’ position th at even C o ro t s latest work shows

a . In an a tr ces of it every l dsc pe the figures , without which he used to s ay a lan dscape w as n a a are a d a a uni h bit ble , pl ce with reg rd to ” symmetry which is decidedly more classical a n a a i n l r th n tur l . Courbet ev de t reg a ded Corot y‘ as a a a a n fo r cl ssic l p i ter spoilt , he describes “ him as the man w ho always pai n ted the s ame n ymphs etern ally dan ci n g in the same lan d ’ s c ap efi ’ Corot remai n ed as Berti n s pupil fo r two a n ot a a a ye rs , but does ppe r to h ve set much a n store himself by the te chi g which he received . C H A PTE R I I

STUDENT LIFE

— — First visit to Rome Frien ds an d co mpan ions Life in — — Rome Friendship with Aligny First Salon pictures — ’ Return to Fran ce The house at Ville d Avray — — Methods of work The Salon of I 83 I Change of Style — — — Short tour in France Chartres Italian in fluence — — ’ The Salon of 1 833 The Catacombs Coro t s exces — — sive modesty His first medal Secon d visit to Italy

Recalled to France H agar in the w ilderness St. — “ ” jerOme The Baptism Of Christ in the Church o f

St. N c o as du ardonne i h l Ch t.

1 8 2 n an d N 5 he we t with Bertin to Rome , from thence wrote to a frien d that he had n ot a n a a all a of a n le r t to dr w t . His ide dr wi g

’ difiered n a a a esse ti lly from th t of his m ster . Bertin gave strict atten tion to detail an d to accuracy of line Corot aimed at obtai n ing the ff in a 1 8 2 whole e ect quick sketch . From 5 to 1 8 2 8 the young painter remai n ed in Rome in an Ali n E a comp y with g y, dou rd Bertin (brother o f n an d Victor Berti ) , Robert , who together with some others formed a kind of Fre n ch

ca e as . A demy , with Pierre Gu rin director 1 5 16 COROT

n al a a According to Dumes il , the speci ch r cter ’ is tic of the work of this Italian perio d of C o ro t s w as its accuracy ; nothin g w as left to the im agi n ation ! C an o n e imagine Corot ever falli n g i n to this defect ? Rather are we in clin ed to believe him ready at any moment of his life to offer a s acrifice at the Altar of n n God — God had the Unk ow the whom , he n n a a a bee desired to me , he would h ve c lled n n Imagi atio . That Corot at the time of his first visit to Italy w as perfectly aware of his ow n defects an d limitation s is eviden t from a letter he wrote i a a to M . Silvestre , wh ch rel tes to his first ttempt “ n n in 1 had n at i depe dent work Rome . spe t ” “ two winters , he writes , with M . Bertin , learn in g so little th at on my arrival in Rome I l Tw could n o t draw at al . o men stopped to a a a at ch t together . I beg n to sketch them , p rt — a a fo r n an . a a time the he d , i st ce They sep r ted , an d I had n othin g but some bits of head on my a n o n p per . Some children were sitti g the steps I b e an a a n of a church . g g i . Their mother a a an d called them w y , my book would be full of n a an d a of en ds oses , forehe ds , tresses of h ir . I determined that I would n ot come home again an other time without a complete piece of work an d I tried for the first time a drawin g pa r

18 COROT

f at his of the s e m ound him working study Coli u , and pronoun ced it to be better than anything had n n a ain which been do e si ce Cl ude Lorr . This work w as exhibited twen ty years after in a 1 8 an d n a a at the S lon of 49 , the chieved gre success . Meanwhile Alig ny sought a closer i n tercourse “ ” n a n a with the you g p i ter . Perh ps , M . Corot , a e he s id , we might sometimes work togeth r. ma a a an d I y be ble to te ch you something , I shall most certain ly gai n by your companion a a a a d ship . Corot , lw ys modest , lw ys fille a fo r an n a r with gr titude y e cour gement , neve ’ f Ali n s ff n and a d orgot g y o er of frie dship , tre te n - n a and him with ever faili g vener tion respect . a a a an a i Ne rly fifty ye rs fter these Rom d ys , n a i a n n n the e rly twil ght of cold , s owy mor i g , n n a Bu there w as a fu n eral at Mo t P ar sse . t a n n an d a e few perso s were prese t , mongst thes , n w as a shiveri g with the cold , Corot , p ying

' a as a devozr— a a wh t he described s cred debt . In 1 8 2 7 Corot sent from Rome two pictures “ al n . t to the S o The firs of these , The a a a a w as a in Rom n C mp gn , fterwards used , a w a n o t n a a as a an a y u usu l with the rtist , c v s for “ a nother picture , but number two , Vue prise a a a n N rni , rem i ed in his own possession un til his a w as de th , when it sold to M . Lemaitre STUDENT LIFE 1 9

a . for fr ncs Both pictures were hung , an d a 1 8 2 8 Corot , writing from Rome in M rch , , says : O n e of my frie n ds has just received the

' ur l : 2 2 1 P etzt j o na of the S alon M . Corot ,

2 2 2 an ff an , colouring good , piqu t e ect , tr s p arency ; we recommen d him to draw better ’ all and to vary the forms of his trees . After ’ I h aven t much to complain of so far as the ” i n n S alon s co cer ed . In the same letter he speaks of his probable

in an d a a return to Paris September , s ys th t he contemplates travelli n g a little in Italy before

a n le vi g for home . Betwee n 1 8 2 8 an d 1 8 3 1 there were n o ex hib i

at a n an d a tions the S lo , Corot seems to h ve

n a a a spe t the ye rs p rtly in tr vel , visiting chiefly

a n an a n d the co st tow s on the north of Fr ce , h partly at work in is P aris studio . The studio chan ged its locality more th an

n a a n at o ce , the p inter h vi g lived successively

Petits c ham s at 1 a 39 , Rue Neuve des p ; 5 , Qu i

a 1 0 a - an d 8 Volt ire , Rue des Be ux Arts 5 , Rue

la aub u r - n n e a de F o g Poisso i re . In this l tter place he is said to h ave had a modest livi n g apartmen t o n the first floor an d a studio on the “ ” n a a a to a n fourth . It is tur l , he s id , sce d fo r an d a n In work logic l to desce d for rest . 20 COROT

n x a in work the mi d is e lted , sleep the body

seeks a low ly attitude . In addition to his Paris rooms Corot also had his sh are of the little family villa at Ville ’ d Avra n y. This little cou try house became famous as the focus around which s o much i n of h s work ce tred . a w as a w Ne r the house pond , hich , if it did n ot actu ally itself figure in the many pictures has n a a to which it bee ssigned , cert inly served fo r an n a the artist more th one i spir tion . Clos e w as an in n an d w as by , too , , this undoubtedly often reproduced in the man y sketches made ’ f d Avra In a by Corot o Ville y. l ter years he used to freque n t this little in n daily at of n an d w a the hour déjeu er , there , too , s always to be fou n d a meal an d a he arty welcome fo r an y guest w ho came to visit him

in his bachelor home .

a of . an d h After the de th M Mme . Corot t e ’ villa at Ville d Avray w as sh ared by Camille d S en n e o n s an d an the g , his sister her hus an an d a as his b d , de rly he loved sister , the presen ce of her husban d always exercised a ki n d of restraint upon Corot an d made him n n in his o w n feel a i terloper house . ’ At the Ville d Avray Corot n ever had a studio ; the idea of building him one n ever

STUDENT LIFE 21

a a n s o a seems to h ve occurred to his p re ts , th t all his pai n ti ng there Was don e either in his f n own bedroom o r o u t o doors . Whe seized with a desire to pai n t a picture which n ecess i tated a off fo r a studio , he would set his P ris rooms in ho t h aste s o as n ot to lose an im

pression . This is ho w he descri bes the process of tran sferri n g impression s gai n ed outside to the “ n n ca vas ready fo r them in his studio . Whe

a an x n a I come b ck from e cursion , I i vite N ture

to come an d pass a few days in my house . n a n n in The my m d ess sets i . With my brush

an o u n my h d I g o t n utti g through the woods , in my studio ; a n d there also I c an hear the birds Si n gi n g an d the trees rustli n g in the wi n d an d I c an see the streams an d the rivers

n on a n an of flowi g , c rryi g thous ds mirror pic tures of sky an d earth an d the s u n rises an d sets fo r me in my o w n house

In 1 8 1 n a n 3 Corot se t four works to the S lo , an d all a n were ccepted . Of these three belo g both by subject an d by treatmen t to the Itali an of o period his w rk , but the fourth Vue prise an l a e n a n a a d s for t de Fo t i eble u , m rks the begi n n in g of an en tire ch an ge of style an d o f of method work . ’ When we remember th at Corot began life as 22 COROT

an a at an n a a a e a w as rtist u usu lly l te g , th t he a a in n a his a lw ys slow developi g , th t temper ‘ men t led him to accept guidan ce an d directio n

' in all the afiairs of his private life to an exten t which came perilously n ear to i njurin g him in n a as k his professio l work , we ourselves a a n a c o n if this s me temper me t , these s me ditio n s may n ot be held accou n table fo r the wan t of i n dividuality an d distin ction shown in a an d fo r n n a i his e rly , work , his disi cli t on to make a determin ed attack o n the old classical

in had n a n methods which he bee tr i ed . We

are n n to n a s o an d n to i cli ed thi k th t it is , eve ’ go further an d suggest th at the pain ter s easy an a a n a circumst ces , the very f ct th t o ce st rted o n his career he had n ever o n e momen t of a a a an m his struggle , th t his sm ll llow ce fro ‘ father s u fliced an d more th an sufficed fo r his — wan ts th at all these con dition s made him a - n e sy goi g to the poi n t of i n differen ce . This a f n ttitude o mi d is apparen t in all his work . a n a in a a Corot p i ts N ture her c lm , everyd y all n all a all moods ; is sere e , is norm l , would fo r a of a n be , but the m gic the rtist , commo a An r pl ce . a t critic looki n g at a collectio n o f a n n n a French p i ti gs o ce s id , Corot never a n a in a n n p i ted N ture co vulsio . Look at that ” ’

a a is a n . r l ndsc pe ; it c lm , still , su ny C o o t s

24 COROT

of a Mic hallon and Opposed to those his m sters , a a Bertin . After e ch successive visit to It ly , an d a a s of these there were sever l , Corot rel pse n a a an and to some extent i to his cl ssic l m ner , for m any years his l an dscapes are peopled with “ ” a of a an a nymphs inste d pe s ts , dorned with “ n a a in s temples i ste d of cott ges . But thi “ ” first study in the Forest of Fon tain eb leau (there were man y afterwards) we n ote the n n of n ew man has begin i g the . Corot found

himself. In 1 8 n a n x a a 3 3 (the ext S lo ) he e hibited g in , an d n a w a , i deed , from this time forw rd there s never (with o n e e x ception ) an exhibition held at a n w as n ot n the S lo where he represe ted . w as o n e of a a I ndeed , Corot the few gre t rtists his da in n and of y who , spite of its i justices an n a a m y shortcomi gs , tre ted the S lon from to a n n n d first l st with co sideratio a respect . Until the year of his death he always sub

mitted an d a of n d work , th t his best , a when

an l a at w as n the busy h d y rest , it fou d th at even in the faili n g health of the last few mon ths

had n o t n of his life Corot forgotte the S alon , an d tw o pictures were ready fo r the forthcomi n g x n e hibitio .

an a an n a Yet for m y ye rs the u l struggle , a a a which he lw ys dre ded , brought him nothi n g STUDENT LIFE 25

a n n Des b arro lles but dis ppoi tme t . M . writes in — 1 844 : He is n ever see n he is always put o u t in a a al a a of sight , the d rk g lleries c led the C t

. w as his combs We will prove this . Where a a ? In a a H g r put the C t combs . His View of a a the Tyrol C t combs . His Little Apple a a a at G therers C t combs . His Nymphs the ’ ‘ ’ a ? a a a ? a a B th C t combs . His Flute Pl yer C t

combs . a a a to a a Wh t , then , g ve him cour ge f ce ye r by year an ordeal from which m an y o f his con temporaries shran k ? Was it n o t his ex ceeding modesty ? N ot that he un derrated his o w n a a a b u t a n rtistic c p city , th t the e tire absen ce of self-con sciousn ess an d person al van ity led him to attribute his failures to the n a n in perso lity show his work in other words ,

n n to the method he took to express his mea i g .

n at n n - n Whe le gth the lo g deserved , yet lo g ’ w as a a n and C o ro t s withheld , success tt i ed n a n a pictures fou d f vour with the ge er l public , his satisfaction ex pressed itself in the follow “ ing words : It is the public taste th at has an n ot m ex e ch ged , y work ; my methods , my c u io n a is all as w as n t , th t it from the begi IIin a an d at a a g ; I h ve persevered , l st I h ve

conquered . “ His a n en riére picture , M delei e p , exhibited 26 COROT

at a n o f 1 8 w o n a a Of the S lo 3 3 , him med l the a an d 1 8 s aw his second cl ss , 34 three more of a a n c nvases t the exhibitio . So o n a a n a n a fterw rds he joi ed frie d , M . Gr nd an an to a n je , in other visit It ly , keepi g this time an d n n to the north visiti g Ve ice , but not Rome . He w as in Ven ice when he received a letter ' from his father complain in g of his lo ng ab s en ce an d a n n In a from home ski g him to retur . gre t as to a to do doubt wh t , Corot showed the letter to a n of Old a Leopold Robert , frie d the d ys in “ ” d a a an . GO a Rome , sked his dvice , s id “ a n are old dis Robert , your p re ts , do not ” a n m n ot a ppoi t the . Corot did hesit te , but sen di n g word to Bertin n ot to expect him at to an a n Rome , he returned Fr ce , t ki g with him , all however , four pictures , of which show n the recrudesce nce o f the classical i n flue ce . Amon gst them w as H agar in the Wilder ” n s es , the first of his religious pictures . Of a these there were sever l , but they attracted a n n a little tte tio , lthough some few critics ran ked them amon gst those of the first im ” an r m . e O e s port ce A St . J w a presented by ’ a at d Avra and the p inter to the church Ville y, (in 1 8 43 ) he painted for the baptistery ch apel

of of a du a n the Church St . Nichol s Ch rdo net a a n a l rge compositio of the B ptism of Christ . STUDENT LIFE 27 “ a : Of this work M . Silvestre rem rks There c an be n o doubt Of his h avin g pai n ted this picture after his secon d o r third journ ey to

a an a on as n It ly . The l dsc pe ( the left you e ter the ch apel) in which the baptism of Christ is n n a in an d a a represe ted , e tirely rec lls style ch r c ter the first drawi n gs that he did when he w as with Alig n y in the ag ro romano u n der the clear a an s k a a an It li y. The whole is l rge p el , well a a ol a a filled with trees of delic te f i ge , river , an d far an n a , in the dist ce , the buildi gs of

x a n a a proud city . But the most e tr ordi ry fe ture of is u res are this work the fig , of which there n n an n in s k i e , besides the gel hoveri g the y ;

are all - an d in fin e they life Size , well grouped ,

a an d x in an n a a ttitudes , e ecuted such a m er th t true historical pai n ter n eed n ot h ave hesitated n n a a to Sign them . This pai ti g is revel tion ’ of his power an d aptitude fo r the Gran d Art

as an n an d a a a Titi , Poussi , the re l gre t m sters , ”

n n a . i cludi g Rembr ndt , understood it C H A PTE R I I I

SUCCES S— MIDDLE AGE— OLD AGE AND DEATH

— — — The Quai Voltaire Francai s The first purchaser Death — — of Corot sen ior Third visit to I taly Love of natu re — The Legion of H on our First H angi ng Committee of — — the Salon Un i versal Exhibi tion o f 1 8 55 Corot visits on don— The sa on s— Deat of Dutilleux— S of L l h M . iege — ’ Paris Coro t s l arge con tributions to public charities — “ Sketching tour in north o f France The médaille ’ — d hon n eur GerOme Speci al gold medal for the ” — — ' Master English co -operation Geoflroy Dechaume ’ at o f Mm en n on — oro t s - a t — r sen ta De h e. S eg C ill he l h P e — — tion Of the medal Last exhi bi ts for the Salon I n creased

- a t — D at ill he l h e h .

N his ret u rn to P aris from the secon d a an a It li visit , Corot est blished himself at 1 a a an d a n 5 , Qu i Volt ire , this rem i ed his n a a fo r n n tow he dqu rters the ext fourtee years . D u rin g the first ten years Of this period he

n n to a at a n co ti ued exhibit ste dily the S lo , but he foun d little appreciatio n from the ge n eral an d o w n a public , still less from his f mily . It must have been about 1 8 40 that he received DAN I N IS ET C HLOE

3 0 COROT

’ artist s great simplicity of ch aracter an d lack

n n of perso al va ity .

P ARIS , “ l 1 a n . 1 8 o 4 j , 49.

Your letter has given me great pleasure . I th an k yo u very much for the renewal of your

n a n o an d . a n S ir i vit tio to g see you Be cert i , , a fo r a a a th t if it be only few d ys , I sh ll give myself the pleasure o f maki n g this little journ ey fi a as soon as the n e weather returns . I h ve commu n icated the con ten ts of your letter to who a n con my mother , , fter the expressio s it a n can n o n n t i s , lo ger refuse me the permissio u a t a to fly to yo . We Sh all then be ble o dmire together that beautiful N ature who presen ts herself in so ravishin g a form to all who seek

a n f n her . Aw iti g the pleasure o seei g you either at a o r in a Arr s P ris , am I i etc

C . C OROT .

a a all w as But we believe th t , fter , this visit n ot a n a a a n a p id u til much l ter d te , whe the rtist n a became his ow m ster . Corot w as always a

s o n an d a n a n dutiful , his p re ts , lthough faili g to n an o r a a n u derst d ppreci te his ge ius , seem to h ave been very rel uctan t to h ave him o u t of an d a n a had their sight , Shortly fter this i vit tion l SUCCESS 3 1

’ n an d a C o ro t s a been give ccepted , f ther died , an d thereafter the s o n o n ly left his mother when obliged to go further afield th an the little Ville d ’ Avray to seek studies for his pictures . ’ 1 8 a a a In 43 , before his f ther s de th , the rtist had a a a a n n m de third visit to It ly , rem i i g there a a a a bout Six months . It ly lw ys renewed in him the cl assical associ ation s and ideas in which he had a a a an d es been tr ined ; but in It ly lso , “ eciall n p y duri g this third visit , he brought to perfection his study of the values of ’ s o a as x tones , th t , Silvestre e presses it , he could arrange judiciously the scheme of a a a as n l ndsc pe , precisely if he were putti g together the fragme n ts of a mosaic In his a too o f l z rkt in a a an tre tment , , g his It li n l dscapes we see the i n dication s of the won derful effects of atmosphere which ch aracterise his picture whe n he has settled down into his perm an en t an — has n o w n n a n m ner fou d his i dividu lity . O e day an art critic w as praisi n g the lightness of ’ “ ” “ C r s Y a o ot a . es foli ge , s id he, the birds ” a must be ble to fly through the branches . was a an a a a n He essenti lly outdoor rtist , s tur ti g a all a a himself with N ture in her v ried spects , an d transferring her to can vas in all her ever an n ch gi g moods . has h a to He imself given to us , in letter 3 4 COROT

o a a at a . us g to bre kf st the f rm Work , my frie n ds ! I will rest ! I will doze and dream

n o f my morn i g scen e . I will dre am of my d ” an a on a n a . picture , l ter I will p i t my dre m too to n n o u r The letter is good co de se , but pages are to o few to give it in its entirety ;

r e n d he e , however , is the “ B am / bam ’ The s u n descen ds towa rds n to n to the horizo , it is time retur work . “ ’ B am / bam . The sun is still sinki n g in

n of an an d fier - an d an expa se or ge gold , y red — ah ! a n an d a purple th t is prete tious vulg r , I a a a will n o t h ve it . We will w it , we will se t n a n a n ourselves u der the popl r e r the po d ,

smooth as a mirror . “ r N ature is tired , but the little flowers a e ! are n o t still g ay. Little , little flowers they ho a n of n like men w compl i everythi g . They — h ave the s u n o n their left they have patien ce ‘ ’ ‘ s a S oo n to wait . It is well , they y ; we — a o u r are b u Sh all h ve desire they thirsty , t a of they wait . They know th t the spirit the dusk will bri n g them dew spri n kled from in visible foun tai n s they keep their patience an d they praise God . “ But the s u n Sinks yet lower towards the

iz hor on . “ His a ra B am / l st y, one which edges the SUCCESS 85

n n d N o w flyi g clouds with purple a gold . it is

on at an . a ! g e . Good , dusk is h d He vens wh at charm ! “ has n ain a The sun su k . There rem s but — soft filmy touch of pale yellow the l as t gle am from the sun which has dropped i n to the deep — blue of n ight melti n g from soft gree n i n to a yet paler turquoise Of an i n tangible delicacy an d an n a n i describ ble liquid misti ess . The t a o u t in fields lose their colour , the rees st nd o r n a a a grey brow m sses , the d rk w ters reflect

E n the clear colours of the sky . verythi g is

as a n n a n is f t f di g , yet we k ow th t everythi g

. a n d fo r a still there All is v gue , co fuse , N ture a n a s n n is f lli g sleep . Yet the fre h eve i g breeze in a s of the d whispers the le ves , the voice bir s a n d are a s in a the the flowers r i ed pr yer , dew

d a n a rops pe rl upo the gr ss . “ ' B zn ’ a n n a g A st r plu ges i to the w ter . a a n n the Be utiful st r , whose twi kli g shimmer in o f a a n a n d o u g the w ter ugme ts hu redfold , y s o n an d o w n s h n as mile me , your eye brig te o u a o n y fl sh me . “ B i n ! n a s in a g A seco d st r show the w ter , a n n m an d seco d eye is Ope ed ; welco e , bright s hi n i n g stars “ ' ’ B i n n ’ zn ’ ix n ! z b . S b . g g g Three , , twe ty s tars ! All the sta rs o f the sky h ave their

SUCCESS 8 3

a a of a a tr nsp rency the mist , which will gr du lly a s u n an d as be bsorbed by the , it rises we see a a the silver river , the me dows , the cott ges ,

- n n a c an the ever recedi g horizo . At l st we see n at B um ! wh at at first we could o ly guess . B am ! a The s u n has risen . A peas n t crosses e n d of a an d the the field with his c rt oxen . D i ng ! ding ! says the hell of the ram who m a . B u ! E n a le ds the flock verythi g sp rkles ,

all is in t an d glitters ; full ligh , still , soft , caressin g an d I paint ! I p ain t ! The far distan ce in its Simple con tour an d a n a n an a h rmo y f des i to the sky , through tmo Of an d sphere mist ether . The flowers raise

a to an d fro n their he ds , the birds flit . A peasa t ridi n g a white horse disappears down the n ar a An d a ro w p th . the rtist He pai n ts

! a - c o w Ah the be utiful dun coloured , chest

a a n deep in the moist gr ss . I will p i t her . Cm c There she is Capital ! Wh at a p o r trait ! “ B ou m ! bou m ! s u n n to The begi s scorch . a an d All grows he vy dull . The flowers droop, the birds are silent ; on ly soun ds from the

a a . a vill ge re ch us It is the bl cksmith , whose a a an he vy h mmer strikes the vil . “ B au m ! o . too Let us g We see much .

is n to a n a n There nothi g left the im gi tio . Let D 3 4 COROT

a as at a . us go to bre kf t the f rm Work , my friends ! I will rest ! I will doze an d dream n n n of my mor i g sce e . I will dream of my ” and a o n a picture , l ter I will p int my dream .

too to u r The letter is good condense , but o pages are too few to give it in its e n tirety ; r e n d he e , however , is the “ B ani ! bam ’ The sun descends towards n to n to the horizo , it is time retur work . “ ! B um ! bu m The sun is still sinki n g in

an a an an d fier - an d exp nse of or ge gold , y red — ah ! a is n an d a purple th t prete tious vulg r , I

n o t a . a will h ve it We will w it, we will seat

a a n ourselves under the popl r ne r the po d , a smooth as mirror . “ a N ture is tired , but the little flowers are

a . ! r still g y Little , little flowers they a e n o t w ho a of n like men compl in everythi g . They — h ave the s u n o n their left they have patien ce ‘ ’ ‘ s a to wait . I t is well they y ; soon we

ha a o u r — are b u t s ll h ve desire they thirsty , n a they wait . They k ow th t the spirit of th e dusk will bri n g them dew sprinkled from in visible fountai n s they keep their patien ce a n d od they praise G . “ But the s u n sin ks yet lower towards the hori z on . “ ni His a t ra B a ! l s y, one which edges the

3 6 COROT

n - a a a meeti g pl ce in this h ppy pool . All is d rk — n a n u a a the po d lo e shines o t of the d rkness , ab rin th of y stars . s u n a n n The illusion is over. The h vi g go e to n n s u n — u n rest , the i er the s Of the soul s u n of art— a oo ! is the rises . G d my picture ” n fi ished . s ee a o o of Here we the rtist , the p et , the l ver n a a man w ho as a ture we see lso the , we h ve a ad a d n a n d n a in a c o n lre y s i , ever p i te ture i d u l s on . n s u n a at a v Whe the bl zes full mid y , n in an f whe it sets orgy o colour , Corot will h ave n on e of it he m akes n o attempt to catch “ eve n a fleeti n g impression of its glories I ” “ t a o the will res , he s ys ; I will g Sit by pon d u n til N ature returns to her more peaceful ” m oods . But in her peaceful moods Corot n ever wearied Of studyi n g her an d Of teachi n g “ to to s a others study her . If, he used y to Go d n a to o u in the his pupils , does ot spe k y a of a a a n ot f ce n ture , it me ns th t your hour is o r a o u a a a yet come , th t y h ve mist ken your ro d ; ”

a o and . if the l tter , then g seek elsewhere I t " will be i n teresti ng to pri n t here Alber t Wolfl s accoun t of the artist as he appeared to his

an man of n s triv friends when Old seve ty , still to a n ing le rn some secret yet u revealed . SUCCESS 3 7

o r n n a a o ff Some eight i e ye rs g , Wol “ writes in in the beautiful summer ’ a a d Av ra on e d ys , one might see t Ville y of the most touchi n g spectacles ever prese n ted a n a w as a of an man by rtist . It th t old , a a at en d in a ne rly rrived the , dressed blouse , s a n a n n a heltered by cotto umbrell , observi g ture a n n n to like you g stude t , seeki g surprise some secret still undiscovered in spite of his seve n ty years ; smiling at the twitterin g o f the birds an d occasionally respon di n g with a b ar or two of some g ay song an d the light-hearted n ess a of twenty ye rs . F r as w as to a n . o Old he , he still sought le r

a a n had n a n a over h lf ce tury he co templ ted ture , believi n g th at to m aster his art w as an imp o s s i b ilit an d n a on e a y, feeli g th t hum n lifetime , n w as n o t n n in however lo g , lo g e ough which to learn all the in fi n ite vari atio n s o n the face of

N ature . “ ’ man on e of an a This Old , Fr ce s gre test

a n w as n a an a s . p i ters , med Je B pti te Corot a n o w n n w as His f me , u questio ed , the result a a a o f of fifty ye rs of l bour , the first h lf which were spen t in a conti n uous struggle again st a n n still triumph a t routi e . N O trace o f these combats agai n st co n ven

’ ' - ' r l i P a n s ien n s Cen t Chefi d ce u v e des Col ect ons e . 38 C OROT

’ io n lit was e t u n C o ro t s so u l an d in the t a y l f po , many in te rvie w s I had w ith the fin e o ld artist in his later years n o acce n t of bitte rn es s or res e n tme n t w as di sce rn ible in him again st the b lind prejudice which had pas sed by his can d vas es u nmo ved an u n con vi n ced . “ Occas io nally he could be heard talking to ‘ ’ ’ i se and x a n h a a ! h m lf e cl imi g , T t s f mous or " " ’ hat a n a a n lad. I will h ve to be do e g i , O ne looked upo n Corot with the ten der In admiratio n due to this beautiful Old age . o rd er to explai n the delightful fresh n ess of his ideas w e mus t remember th at he had always b ee n a s l of a a poilt chi d N ture . The comfort ble c irc ums tances of his parents an d the allowan ce this e n abled them to m ake their artist s on g ave him the opportu n ity o f devoti n g his w h e fe to his ar n a ol li t , u h mpered by the sordid ” de ta s o f il an everyd ay struggle with poverty . Bu t to o a t 1 8 n o u r g b ck o 47 , whe we left ar is t w th his s t i first purchaser . About thi pu rch as e a ch aracteri s tic story is told that hen co n ra a o n a w g tul ted by his frien ds the s le , Co o t e e s a — n o w o w n r r pli d dly , Yes but my co llec t o n is n ! w as in 1 8 too i i complete It 47 , , that Co ro t recei ved the dec oration of the L io n of n u eg Ho o r . The wear 1 8 8 w as an a 4 import nt one for Corot .

SUCCESS 3 9 Up to this date there h ad been n o H an gi n g fo r a n n o f Committee the S lo , but the selectio pictures had been m ade by the members o f the a of an an of h m n o t Ac demy Fr ce , m y w o were

l n d a at al a d a as . rtists , yet cte sole judges This state of thi n gs had n aturally resulted in the rejection by the S alon o f the work Of most o f o f da an d the pioneers the y, some Of these , at n an w n had disgusted the ig or ce thus sho , ll N o w all w as ceased to sen d in pictures at a .

an w as n d an ch ged . A system i troduce by me s o f which fifteen judges were elected by the a to a o f n an d rtists form Jury Selectio , n a w as a d a o u t whe the b llot decl re , Corot c me n n o n i th the list . This method o f electi n g the jury has c on ti n n ed to be practically the same u p to ' the

n da an d 1 8 8 to 1 8 0 w n prese t y, from 4 7 ( he in n u an d w as a he decl ed the ho o r , repl ced by Ch apli n ) Corot i n vari ably formed o n e o f 1 8 too w as o n e of its members . In 55 , , he the speci al j u ry o f thirty- four appoi n ted by ’ L E x i i n n a III fo r o s t o . N poleon . p U iverselle 1 8 8 n a a n w as From 4 , whe ever S lo held , ~ w as n in s o far ofl Corot well represe ted it , but still w as the time when the public taste had ffici n r n to a a a an su e tly ipe ed ppreci te him , th t amusin g anecdote comes to us from a later COROT

a n a a 18 O n n n S lo , prob bly bout 57 . the ope i g day he received a telegram from an u n kn own

a n a a n o f source , ski g whether cert i picture his w as fo r a an d s o at a ? s le , if , wh t price Corot in some excitemen t replied that the picture w as fo r a fo r f a dispos l the sum o fr ncs .

a n a an n H vi g desp tched his swer , he torme ted himself with doubts as to the wisdom of putti n g s o a o n an d a high price his work , m de up his

n n mi d to hear n othin g further of the i quiry . We c an imagin e his delighted surprise when in the course of a few hours he received a secon d

n S O telegram accepti g the terms . little success had had a n ot he hitherto , th t he could believe

n a c n a a ? his o w eyes . Wh t a h ve h ppened ” a an on e n ? s id he . Did I by ch ce drop ought

S o re- a he telegr phed his price , this time in

n a of in an d w as a words i ste d figures , gre tly relieved when in formed tha t the i n quirer still wished to purchase the picture at the price

n a med .

w as n o a in 1 8 8 w as There S lon 5 , but Corot

a diflic u lt to n persu ded , with some y, e trust

- f to an a n thirty eight o his pictures uctio eer, ho had a an fo r a . Bo us salo n w M , rr ged public ’ o rot s a o— a s u m Of sale . C works re lised £57 which the auction eer is said to h ave been

42 COROT “ ” this is a man ufactory ' an d he departed a n a a without m ki g purch se . The story of an other purch aser w ho als o e n ded by n o t Obtai n i n g a picture is told by n An a a u n a Dumes il . m te r collector , whose me

n o t a a had a . a does ppe r , ordered picture W lk ing o n e even i n g towards twilight from Vers ailles ’ d Avra w as an to Ville y, Corot seized with u n usu ally keen sen se o f the beauty of the place at n to an d the hou r . Arrived home he co tinued a of n n n dre m the sce e u til it took defi ite form , an d o n the following day he h asten ed back to a to a n as a n P ris his studio (h vi g , we h ve see , ’ n n at d Avra t a n a o e Ville y) o p i t picture . The i n spiration w as s o stron g th at by the en d o f

da s n h a w as the y the picture w a fi is ed . Gre t

ow n a n n . a a to his sto ishme t Wh t , s id he “ a a n s ! An d am to re himself, lre dy fi i hed I c eive quite a l arge sum of mon ey fo r the ex p en ditu re Of S O short a space of time ! That ’ must n o t be ! Let s put more work i n to it ; — an d yet to add m ay be to spoil we will leave it an d study the Skies through the smoke of a pipe a a at The purch ser rrived , looked the picture , ’ a an d a n a n o t hesit ted , t le gth s id , Well , it s ’ a very cheerful picture ! I ll tell my w ife about

an d a a it , let you know wh t She s ys before decid SUCCESS 43 in a a n g . A few d ys later Corot received ote n a des c ri refusi g the picture , bec use from my p tion of i t my wife fi n ds it decidedly too dull . a Corot accepted the res u lt philosophic lly . ’ ” n a a all Someo e else will h ve it , th t s , he told

An d z s a n w n . a w a himself Di th t someo e , he a little l ater it w as exhibited in the Boulevard a n Ten o r a a des I t lie s . twelve ye rs fter the date to which these stories belon g Corot had a an d a n fo r become f mous , de lers were pressi g

x n o f an d n a the e ecutio orders , he the took in n great delight keepi n g them waiti g . Oh ” s a o u u yes , he would y, y will get yo r picture , ’ ’ — but I m s u re I can t s ay when yo u are e n tered in my order- book u n der n umber 3 2 8 In 1 8 6 2 w as a a n n o a n there g i S lo , but Corot sen t a picture to the I n tern ation al E x hibition in

n b u t did n o t a a a n n . Londo , it ttr ct much tte tio We are told also th at the artist himself visited E n glan d fo r a week duri n g the summer o f the

E n an d a to a x xhibitio , is s id h ve e pressed sur

at n s o u u n n for w as prise seei g m ch s shi e , it a a fin e a n an d had n to w rm , se so , he bee led E a a n n an . expect foggy , r i y gl d The years 1 8 6 3 to 1 8 6 7 s aw Corot represen ted at a n w o o r a a the S lo by t three pictures e ch ye r , and there w as some talk in the l atter year of ’ ’ awardin g him the merla il l e d hon n eu r ; but fo r 44 COROT this he w as in reality i n eligible from n o t being a a 1 8 6 a historical p inter . 7 brought him per son al grief in the death of his patron- frien d an d Du tilleu x a pupil , M . , with whom , fter the first ’ a his had he ye r of mother s widowhood , he a an d an his come intim te , with whom m y of little excursion s in sea rch of subjects were a a n as a a t ken . The de th of this frie d w gre t fo r a a n an d loss to him , Corot w s firm frie d , ’ a Du tilleu x s a a a n re fter M . de th he pp re tly a n n n to m i ed o i timate terms with his widow , in 1 8 1 fin d f whom , 7 , we him writing the ollow in g characteristic letter

’ V I D V A LLE A R Y ,

aoflt 1 8 1 . l e 3 , 7 MADA ET I ME AM E , “ Je sors mes lun ettes avec rapidité pour n a ma vous écrire que ous sommes inst llés , s oeur et moi : la maison est n ettoyée et les

a n n a Ma oe es t en tr ces prussie nes O t disp ru . s ur ’ a an m a c har e ssez bonne s té , elle g de vous ’ faire ses complimen ts ai n si q u atoute la famille . ’ ’ ’ ai n de s a d Avra ai J comme cé études Ville y, j deS i a cc n e as l es retrouvé mot fs , m is sont p ’

a a d Arleu x a . e jolis m r is , P luel , etc J pense que vous passez de jolis moments dans c es jolis bateaux et jolis bois du pont de Paluel et l es jolis

SUCCESS 45

’ d i - Bois O sy . Je me suis bien amusé la b as e t e n en a n u a an j pe se que vous f ites e core to t ut t , ’ m pour n e p as en perdre l hab itu de et que M e

a a a u du a du et a M rie ur retro vé c lme , repos lors l a a s anté . Je f is des prieres pour que tout ca Se a ré lise .

Péch e z a u s s i de belles a n g uilles Sa u c e M o uta rde

E t a u re m e r re a s e vo u s r e p i p , j p i , uve z a la s a n té du a u vre et t n é re B p p i g , Vo tre n o u rri s s o n n da n t a o u Pe l C mm n e .

' ’ ’ a i a r d éc r r n ve r J l i i e e s .

me E a n M et M d mbr ssez bie pour moi . Alfre , m M e a e t e n n . a t a a M rie L o ti e Mes mi iés Ch rles , Mme a . e t a a et s a a e t M Seiter , P ul f mille , a an M . Pochez , qu d vous les verrez .

a a et a Recevez , M d me mie ,

’ a an m o n a l ssur ce de mitié , C O C . OR T . P — i S . a . Les études que j a r pportées o n t ” o fitées e t été g prises presque toutes .

The n umber o f person s whom he men tion s

’ by n ame give u s some in sight i n to C o ro t s

amiability o f ch aracter . He had eviden tly “ ” m ade frie n ds with h alf the n eighbourhood t a a Arr s . 46 COROT

In 1 8 68 1 86 1 8 0 a n an d a t , 9, 7 S lo s were held , each of them Corot w as represe n ted by tw o o r

more pictures .

In 1 8 0 a a a n - a 7 the rtist , lre dy seve ty four ye rs n to a had a an a e . Old , m de llusio his g He a a n n fo r a fin e u s o lw ys bee oted physiq e , much “ s o th at his frien ds used to s ay he would live ” “ to a n . u n an d be hu dred A h dred four , he n l o bon D ieu an would an swer . I thi k will gr t An d n o w in s n a . me the extr four , the pri g Of 1 8 0 man n to 7 , the Old goes o ce more Ville ’ “ h AS d Av ray to rest himself wit work . he “ ’ S ays : I can t h ave more th an thirty years

l an d o S O a ! n - u a eft , they g f st Seve ty fo r h ve

a a n an d to to a lre dy flow , me they seem h ve ’ gon e as fast as the jou rn eys o n e takes in on e s

dreams . “ O n ly four of the thirty were left ; but as all had n those were filled , the rest bee , with un ceasi n g work an d co n stan t acts Of sympathy

- a n d good fellowship to thos e aro u n d him . When he heard th at the s iege of Paris w as ’ n a n d Av ra an d i evit ble he retur ed from Ville y, a n u n en d n n a rem i ed there til the , spe di g l rge s u ms o f mon ey in the relief of the poor an d

s an d n a a n ick , goi g himself bout mo gst the a a as woun ded . It is said th t he g ve as much francs fo r public use He

48 COROT

a a n an the extr ordi n ry gree s of the l dscape . “ a a a n all in a W it till I h ve t ke it , he s id ; “ ’ ” then I ll Show yo u something ! 1 8 a an d In 73 he exhibited Le P sseur , there

’ w as some talk of awardi n g him the meda il l e ’ d lzon n eu r n o w as a a 1 8 w as ; but , g in in 74 , it bestowed elsewhere . 1 8 a in a a man But 74 , which emph sised speci l ner th at persiste n t ignori n g of Corot in which

a had S O n n the Ac démie co siste tly persevered , s aw also the greatest triumph of the master . a a to a n There ppe rs h ve been little doubt , eve a n a as w ho mo gst the most sceptic l , to would n of a an d be the recipie t the gold med l , its presen tation to Corot w as discussed with the n n a n utmost co fide ce . Im gi e , therefore , the storm of i n dign ation which w as raised by the an n oun cemen t th at the hon our had been agai n E n had a as the withheld . veryo e reg rded it of an an a a n n o w as right the veter l dsc pe p i ter , popular in his n ative country as he had been n in a a an d n a eglected his e rlier d ys , whe , fter a a n a a as a to the usu l deliber tio , the w rd w m de GerOme n a n n a n d , public i dign tio broke bou ds , the n ewspapers were n o t Spari n g o f their re a o n of ac a m rks the i njustice the t . It is s id th at GerOm e himself w as fully sen sible of the an d w as a to the injustice , gre tly tempted refuse OLD A GE 49

a as honour , more especi lly the pictures ex ’ hib ited in a a and by him th at ye r s S lon , upon the merits of which the award w as ostensibly a H s n n o t . i m de , did Show his best work ge er o u s n his objectio s were , however , overruled by a -in -l a f w . a o f ther , M Goupil , the he d the firm ar a n a hi of t publishers of th t me . Possibly s ’ estimate of his s o n - in -law s gifts coincided with a an w as th t of the jury , perch ce he moved by

n a n a a a more perso l co sider tions p rt , however , from the slight cast upon Corot by the prefer e o of all a ment of G r me , the jury were free bl me in the selection of this u n doubtedly talen ted

a n r - n of an p i ter . But the a t lovi g public Fr ce w as a an d an n roused , being powerless to ul n a the decisio of the elector l body , they set themselves to devise a plan by which to give a n n a speci l ho our to their eglected f vourite . n a an d Meeti gs were held to discuss the m tter , w as committees were formed . At length it resolved th at a speci al gold medal should be struck an d publicly presented to Corot in the name of his artist friends and admirers . A as subscription list w Opened , which by the end Of November had reached the n ot inco n s ide r able s u m of francs It is pleas an t to read in the Academy o f

1 8 a . December , 74 , in letter from P Burty , 5 0 COROT

a n a E n r its P ris correspo dent , th t glishmen e s po n ded promptly to the call to prove their admiration fo r o n e o f the greatest of lan d ” a a . a a a sc pe p inters We h ve lre dy , writes " an f En P . Burty , received remitt ces rom g

an a a l d , with letters which incre sed their v lue ” n te fold . Your countrymen , he continues , “ h ave recognised the fact th at gen ius is an n a a n h an a i tern tion l i erit ce . I hope th t fresh subscribers will yet add their n ames to this

C o n a n list , which will be opied p rchme t to a a and b e an d presented the ged m ster , ” a hed to a as a a n o f q u e t his f mily p te t nobility . We do not kn ow what w as the final result of a a as far as E a w as this ppe l ngl nd concerned , but we hope that o u r coun trymen made a

n to S O a n an a ge n erous respo se fl tteri g invit tion . N O li s t Of subscribers to the medal appears to

a a a h ve been published , but we h ve some det ils m of the prese n tation committee . It was c o — M d as . a an n pose follows M rcotte , old frie d of w as n an d w as Corot , preside t , he supported

a n e . a by Ch . D ubig y , Jules Dupr , H D umier

a a Ro b et Ed. rére (the c ric turist) , y , F , Alfred

n and Steve s , Philippe Burty . On the reverse of the medal (the work of ‘ Geofl ro Dech au me is a a a M . y ) p lette with OLD A GE AND DEA TH 5 1

a a of a an d an n n crown , br nch l urel , i scriptio ; f on the obverse the profile o the m aster . But by the time the day fo r presen tation ’ c 2 th 1 8 a C o rot s a (De ember 9 , 74) rrived l st ill n had 1 8 his ess begun . In October , 74, sister , w ith whom he had Sh ared the little house at Ville ’ d Avra s o an a an d a y for m y ye rs , died , from th t momen t his own health began to fail . At the presen tation fete given in his ho n our at the Gran d Hotel it w as already n oticed th at he “ ” n a ! a seemed weary an d in pai . Al s s ys e n w as a ! ne Dum s il , how he ch nged The li s of his face told of sufferi n g ; he spoke n erv o u s l an d an a n y feverishly , yet with im tio ; he stood all the time an d made efforts to o great fo r n a his stre gth Nevertheless , it must h ve a a n fo r n a been h ppy mome t him whe , his he lth

n n n n having bee dru k amidst ri gi g cheers , he

Open ed the little case presen ted to him by M . Marcotte an d read the i n scription

A CO RO T , S ES R ER S E T S E S AD MIR ATE L' RS C ON F E .

1 8 . JUIN , 74

a n o ld It is h appy thi g , whispered the

a n to l l . rtist to his frie d , fee beloved ike this During the n ext few weeks he prepared his ” an d a du pictures , Biblis Les Pl isirs Soir , fo r a an d a a a to the S lon , p id l st visit Ville 5 2 COROT

’ d A ra n a his w as v y. The Sig ture to exhibits pl aced on them by the artist when actually on his a - an d l u S a de th bed , Dumesni tells th t this w as the last occasion on which his fingers held u the br sh . a a 2 rd 1 8 at alf On Tuesd y , Febru ry 3 , 75 , h a at a a ed p st eleven night , those fingers g in mov as if still workin g at his beloved art. Look “ ho w l s aw he cried , love y I never such ” exquisite landscapes ! But those exquisite ” lan dscapes could n ever be transferred to c an

vas a s aw w as a . , for the rtist who them de d

54 COROT

n a a were su g by the f mous tenor F ure , who

as n f also w a frie d o the artist . After the solem n M ass the funeral cortege

n to - a- a passed o the cemetery of Pére l Ch ise .

a - a e The p ll be rers were MM . Jules Dupr ,

O u din ot Lavieille an d a l a n all , , Ch r es D ubig y , of whom claimed to be his friends and pupils . at a f a a Arrived the cemetery , fine uner l or tion s M e w a spoken by . de Chennevi res , Directeur

- - e des a s . a Be ux Art But M . Roger Mil s in a symp thetic sketch of Corot, published in

1 1 an n 90 , tells us of u conscious tribute to

man of a a Corot the , more worth , perh ps , th n

ll n a a the eulogies give to Corot the rtist . Someone looking o n at the funeral asked of a “ a a n f n a is poor wom n st ndi g by , Whose u er l ” “ ’ ” ? n m she it I don t k ow his na e , replied , ’ ” a u n U n e m is c est homme de bien . homm “ - l a . e l de bien s ys M Roger Mil s , que le mei ’ leure parole pour résumer l Oeu vre et la vie de ” Corot . ’ a a his r s Immedi tely fter death C o ot s friend , an d amongst them might be counted all the a of an a n a d rtists y reput tio in Fr nce , decide

a f his to hold posthumous exhibition o work , and the followin g announcement appeared in ’ la l A rt l 1 8 rge type in for Apri , 75 E! HIBITION 5 5

’ E! DE R E DE PO SITI ON L CEU V C OROT .

’ Desiri n g to make the exhibition of C o ro t s as as works complete possible , the committee reque st all collectors w ho possess works by this master to commu n icate with the secretary E a Dali hard 1 8 of the committee , M . dou rd p , , la a e Rue de Gl ci re . Members of the committee h ave been ap poi n ted to i n spect proffered loan s in order to avoid the n ecessity o f return i n g those which the dimension s of the H all of Melpomene and the conditions of the exhibition might prevent a of them from ccepti n g . The work selection n rd . o n n a Ma . wi l begi Mo d y , y 3 “ (Sign ed) a of The Secret ries the Committee , E DA LIPHAR D .

BR . O . ILLOUIN

Then followed a list o f n ames Of subscribers an d the amoun t subscribed by each to the monument which it w as proposed to erect to ’ an n a C o rot s memory . Gl ci g long the list , we s ee more than one name Opposite the sum o f and a as a h alf a franc , we t ke it tribute to the memory both of the man an d the artist that n o one , however poor , desired to be left out of the n moveme t . 5 6 COROT — The catalogue prefaced by a Short n otice — of the artist by Philippe Burty i n cluded some 2 2 and n a 5 works , the exhibitio took pl ce on

- May 2 2 n d at the P alais des Beaux Arts . Every effort had been made to ensure the col lection bei n g as complete as possible . Notices were published in all places where they would be likely to attract the attention of own ers ’ r o w n A cadem of C o ot s pictures . I n our y for Ma 8 th 1 8 fin d a o f y , 75 , we notice the proposed exhibition an d an appeal to E n glish owners “ ” of Co rots to len d their pictures in order to forward the desire of the committee to m ake s n a as it a represe t tive possible . ’ n a a in l A rt Dali hard Writi g fterw rds , M . p greatly regrets the absen ce of two of the ’ ’ a - n n m ster s chefs d oeuvre . O e Le Chemi de ’ — l Eglis e de M arseilles w as in the possession

of a a n . Z w ho to n cert i Mr . Y . , refused le d it o n the grou n d that it would leave a vacant space o n his walls at a season when he was in the h abit of e n tertai n i n g his friends ! The

n a — n W al seco d M cbeth belo ged to Sir R . a who w as n a to at l ce , u ble get the picture , it at a n a n d being th t mome t p cked a warehoused . But although we can not trace an y En glish n exhibits , we hope other ow ers were more

generous . MEMORIALS 57 The proceeds of the Exhibition an d the money ’ subscribed by Corot s friends an d admirers were placed together an d ultimately used to erect a n his a w as monume t to memory , lthough this n t Ma 1 880 a a not do e un il y, , more th n five ye rs i after h s death . The mon ument took the form of a white marble fountain placed by the side of the ’ fa at d Av ra mous pond Ville y, close to the ’ a a s u r rtist s house . The bust of the rtist , rounded by a laurel wreath which forms the ‘ n f a n w as a Geofl ro ce tre of the ount i , c rved by y Dechau me had , who , it will be remembered , “ ” a a a in lso designed the f mous med l . Here f a C O ée in a a front of the ount in , pp , his ch r cter “ ’ ” C o rot s a of Nymphe , wrote his immort l — verses verses which in their Simplicity are peculiarly fit to keep in our memories the “ ” image of the goodman in the blouse

' ' Le b o n o ro t m a ima it e s u s u n e de c e es C , j i l ll , ’ Al o rs qu e l au be e mplit de vag u es étin ce ll es ' o riz on fr e u x du ma t n L h il i , ’ — ’ Que l a rtis te c éta it son he u re favorite o a t a e r a vec les e ux de Th oc rite V y i p s s , y é , Au fo nd du ro u a rd a r e n t n b ill g i .

e le co n na s sa s en le v eu x on o mme e n ouse J i i bi , i b h bl , Et qua n d il prépa ra it su r u n c o in de pe lo u se Son c eva et et s es n c ea u x h l pi , COROT

Po u r em e r e n c o r s e s ex tas es s ec retes b lli , ’ ' ’ éta s la ex al ta is l ode u r de s v o e tte s J i , j i l , ' ex c ita is le c a n t de s o s eau x J h i .

a s vou s n ou s le re n dez vo c n otre oéte l M i , i i p

- u te U n do u x ros s ig n o l c ha nte a u des s s de sa te . ’ C e s t l u i n o u s le re con n a is so n s ' es t e n son v sa e Il re a rde il res re C bi i g g , pi l O sea ux fl eu r d s orma s vou s le ve rre z sou r re i s é i i , Da n s vos a rfu ms da n s vo s c an s on s p , h

Et r s de la fo n ta n e vit s a c ére ima e p e i h g , ’ Po rta n t c o mme a ujo u rd hu i q ue lqu e o do ra n t hom ma e g , ' Je revien dra i s o u ve n t m as s eo ir Au mo me n t u i b e r a it S i mol e men t s on réve q c l , ’ ’ u an d eta n S a s s o mb rit et ua n d a u c e se eve Q l g , q i l l , La divi ne éto ile du s o i r !

as a a a Corot , we h ve s id , left his work re dy a 1 8 for the S lon of 75 , where his three pictures “ ” “ ” u n a du an d Les B chero s , Pl isirs Soir , — a n a e Biblis appe red hu g with bl ck cr pe . C as tag n ary writi n g Of them remarks that there n n ew n a a is nothi g , nothi g unusu l bout them , but tha t they Show the Old artist with as clear an as a a a a a an eye , ste dy h nd , s fresh f cy , ” as n a as a a kee sensibility ever . De th , s ys “ a had an d a he , might surely h ve pity h ve p aused before cutti n g short so sweet a life n n work . It will be i teresti g to note the estimation in which Corot w as held by the PRICES OF PICTURES 5 9

at a in far as world the time of his de th , so we c an do s o by an exami n ation of the prices paid fo r his pictures at the sales immediately n followi g . We read in the S i ecl e that o n April 1 9th ’ of the year of C o ro t s death there took place a s ale of a private collection belongi n g to a certain Monsieur H This collectio n co m

a n n prised , mo gst other thi gs , sixteen pictures ” a a ! a Siecl e . by Corot . Wh t we lth s ys the “ ‘ ’ n C o rots of La a e Sixtee , which Ch umi re , ‘ ’ ‘ ’ ‘ ’ Les n e a Du es , Les Bruy res , Le Ruisse u , may cou n t as amongst the most exquisite a n d ’ ” a delic tely origi n al of all the m aster s works . The pictures were valued beforeh an d by an and a n ot expert sold well , lthough they did fetch quite the sum at which they had been a a n an d estim ted . We give both the v luatio s aCtu al riCCS A P V uat n ctua r ce . the P al io . l i

Francs . F rancs . La Cha u miere Les Bruyeres Les D un es

’ L Al lée ve rte Ma rco u s sy ’ ’ L Etan g de Ville d Avray La Femme ala Fon ta i n e La Fillette Le Ru issea u ’ M atin d Eté 60 C T Va uat on . A tua Pr ORO l i c l ice.

La Rou te Blan c he Le Chemin de la Ma i son de Co ro t ’ ala Ville d Avray ’ Au Bord de l Ea u

’ Le Ch emi n de l Eg lise Ma dele in e Pén itente

In this same sale there were also works by Chin treu il a n a , Courbet , D ubig y , Del croix , d e an . Dupr , Millet , De Neuville ’ Dupre s U n M arais w as valued at fran cs an d fetched ’ “ Millet s Glan euses w as valued at fran cs an d fetched An d a work of De Neuville w as valued at 2 fran cs an d fetched a a n h d Soon fter the lo n exhibitio , which a

n at a a a - a bee held the P l is des Be ux Arts , three ’ a a a all a n n d ys s le took pl ce of the p i ti gs ,

a n an d n in studies , sketches , dr wi gs , etchi gs ’ r a C o ot s studio . The uctioneers were Messieurs Bo u s s alo n et B aubign y ; the judge fo r the an pictures , Dur d Ruel . ’ O n ly tw o of the artist s more importan t works in at a and were left his studio his de th , these a a were cquired by the Luxembourg . A portr it of himself w as sent to the U ffiz i Gallery at n a a a Flore ce by his f mily fter his de th . The Vente Corot comprised 93 1 finished

62 COROT

1 8 2 9 to 1 8 3 3 Pa r s a n on t d an i , p e Ch g e Po rt c o o f a rtre s a t edra A u u s t 1 8 0 i Ch C h l . ( g , 3 ) Ho n fleu r : the Qua y Th u r u d in e Fo ru m. ( La rg e r pi ct e fro m s t y Lo u vre) t n d s d as e a Br d of St An elo . A eco n C l i g e . g ( pic tu re ta ke n fro m the fi rst) Ba s s in a Ho n fle u r The J etty at H a vre on a Rou gh Day ro u t w T ville . (Ske ch on o od) Fo nta i n eblea u Fore s t of Fo n ta in ebl eau : the Go rg e

1 8 34 V u e de l a Ville de Génes A n othe r : w ith tw o mon ks A Vo lte rra w Ano th e r . ith roc ks r n r o o rd n Flo e ce . f o m the B b li G a e I n te ri o r o f the Ba ptiste ry of Sa n M a rc o Ven ic e Gon dola a nd Ca n a l

e n ce . Sta a r a de a Sa u te a c ro s s the w ate r V i M i ll l , The G ra n d ana en ce C l , V i

The G ra n d a na w t the a m an e of St . C l , i h C p il M a rk

Ri va . Co mo The Tow n a n d La k e of Como

1 83 5 to 1 8 42 Ag a r ( 1 8 3 5) A G eneve

' A Tivo li Villa d Este A N emi Jen ne s Filles au Bain PRICES OF PICTURES 63

l 844 to I 850 Francs

’ A Semu r l e e m n de s , Ch i l Eg li e ’ Ville d Avray z Co rot an d his M oth e r in the Ga rden

1 85 1 to 1 8 55

Au x il i Mab l e rs . (Stu dy fo r so litu de ) En vi ron s de Bea u va is M on k Rea ding Sa in t Lo La o e A se con d t R ch lle . ( pic u re ) H o an de res Amste rda m ll , p H ol an de res Rotte rdam l , p O n the M a ntes B ridg e C hfitea u Thie rry ’ e d Av ra the as e rw o men Re mo ve d Vill y W h . ( ’ fro m C o ro t s s al on th e re ) Gi rl pa i n ti n g : w ith a Dog n ea r M othe r a n d Child

1 8 56 to 1 8 59 Pres Cayeu x Le s Du n e s a Du n ke rque Eg lis e re flétée da n s u n c a n a l Le Se c ret

Dan te

Bea u n e la R olla n de

1 860 to 1 86 5 . Campag n e bo i sée ’ Ville d Avra y Sa i n t Ma lo A M orte fo n ta i n e A I s ig n y : S tudy fo r the B ac chan te G r seated i l . 64 COROT

1 866 to 1 8 0 7 . Pa ys ag e c ompo s é La Co médie Pres M o rte fo n ta i n e Péc h eu r al a lig n e Pays ag e co mpo s é (a n o th e r) Paysag e compos é (a n o th e r)

1 t 1 8 70 o 8 75 .

a n ds ca e w t a t rs L p , i h B h e Yo ung Wo ma n Yo u n g B o h e mi a n Villa g e by the Se a So tu de A s eco n d ctu re li . ( pi ) At ru n o Ma 1 8 B y . ( y , 73 ) At B ru n oy ( a n o the r) At St N c o a s . i h l N ea r Giso rs At Limetz Lan ds ca pe w ith R u i n s Les N a n to nie rs A Tu rn of the Ri ve r So uven i r o f the M e u s e ' ’ V ille d Avray : B ehi n d C orot s H ou se t N c o a s a not e r S . i h l ( h ) At La bu is s iere A A rle u x du N o rd The Tow e r a t C recy Lands ca pe La ndsca pe (a n o th e r) t N A t rd ctu re S . ic holas . ( hi pi ) r A a r e r cture C ecy . ( l g pi ) La n ds cape Stu dy fo r H a mlet n t f the a t edra Sen s . I erio r o C h l La n dsc ape Landsc ape (an othe r)

PRICES OF PICTURES 65

’ a n o f o flered few Of the rem i der the works , [ t he an 00 o r 00 a and a fe c d more th 4 5 fr ncs , m ny of s m them were the slightest of sketche , so e n n even u fi ished sketches . Prices rem ai n ed much the same for the next a in 1 8 86 at a a in ten ye rs , but s le of pictures “ o n e a a New York Corot , the R m sseurs !de ” as fo r a a a Bois , w bought the Corcor n G llery t a n n an W shi gto for fr cs . After this prices n an d a n n a we we t up , mo gst more rece t s les n otice the following sums

Le s Be rg e rs La Cou r de la Fe rme

1 0 9 3 . O rphée et Eu rydic e do lla rs (roug hly

fra n c s ).

St. Se a s t an u n ea s rou fr n b i g i ( g hly a c s ).

n a a Confro ted with such m ss of work , we can not but as k ourselve s the question Was ’ C o rot s a n o n work re lly mo to ous ; did he , or did n o t i a s a n n n he , just fy the ccu tio of mo oto y s o often made n n f i M . Chesneau i o e o his crit cisms says F 66 COROT

h a n Whet er they represent utum or Spring ,

a an a . morning , midd y , or eve , the l dsc pes of M are n a a a - a Corot domi ted by h lf light , twilight n an d which disguises both defi ite form colour , showi n g on ly contours which are vague an d a a n undecided . For the classic l tr ditio Corot has substituted a con ventionality of a n a an n n ow n nother ki d ; m er e tirely his , but n has a a which , evertheless , its f ult ; th t of pre senti n g as n ature wh at is in reality n othi n g but ” a a the dre ms of the rtist himself. On an other occasion he writes Out of the inexhaustible variety of effects which nature presents to us in the course of the seasons an d n hours , M . Corot is sensible o ly of the veiled ” n a n and light of spri g d w s of moist twilights . n o n a a Comme ting this p ss ge , M . Roger Miles remarks : O n e must ackn owledge th at withi n these very studied lines Ches n eau has said n early the whole truth about Corot ; he has n o t n a , however , ve tured to formul te his criticisms in o n e word an d accuse the m aster

n n a n ot a . of mo oto y . We h ve the s me scruples s w ho a Y e , for those p ss pictures without stop at who ping to look them , look without seeing a a them , to these the work Of Corot must ppe r mon otonous . ’ s s Did these critics , we wonder , ever ee C orot

68 COROT

a v a p lely , lighting to sil er the he vy dews still a w an d a a lying thick on me do p sture . N ture is a a a n w ke , though resting , g thering stre gth to a a a da meet the coming he t of the ppro ching y. a are a nd The c ttle feeding in the long gr ss , a the groups of trees in the park-like extent of meadow stretch away until the rising ground

a is n hides from us the dist nce . Here o a da is mystery of d wn , such summer y to be in an ar E found y p t of the centre of urope . “ n A d On ce more look . The Town of Per ” an a re pign . The blue w ters of the river a toss i n g an d foaming u n der the arches of the bridge which crosses it ; a pile of red roofs ris e o n e above an other o n the hillside ; on the quay is

a - row of green shuttered houses , under whose an a a an d an d ver d hs the sh dows lie cool deep , Whose on ce white walls the sun has kissed i n to

n n - an d radia t to es of rose colour gold . An d now let u s journ ey with Corot to Rome an d r n visit the Coliseum , whose noble propo tio s show out in all their varyi n g shades of red and n a s k grey a d yellow against a clear p le y. Gazing at these magn ificent ruins of an age which has left its mark upon the present day in a n a a m tters of more mome t th n rchitecture , a we people the Forum with the gorgeous figures an n of the Rom s of old , brought to our mi ds by VU E DE TOSCAN E

70 COROT AS we turn from these landscapes our atte n tion is caught an d arrested by another study ; the can vas is covered with shades of greenish grey sh all we call it monotonous From out of this vague-toned backgroun d gaz e the eyes a an n is a of young wom . Her complexio s llow her hair parted in the centre is of a n ondescript n a a c a brow her h nds lightly cl sp her knees , l d in a grey-green gown ; her eyes are of much the same hue as prevails over the whole a a r u a a c nv s ; they a e fixed pon sp ce , dre my , ” n n n a is u co scious . Introspectio . Th t its i title . Where lies its ch arm In ts simplicity a a a a its truth . H lf f scin ted we g ze into the ’ n a n and a girl s u nsweri g eyes , there we re d her — a n a a thoughts v gue , wo dering, diss tisfied , h lf a a a are p thetic , half tr gic . But they her thoughts we re ad o r our o w n reflected there ? ” Wh at is life ? Wh at does it tell us ? Whith er is it leadi n g ? C H A PTE R V

COR OT THE M AN

’ — — — Corot s li fe-story Early youth H ome treatmen t Treat — — ment by the world His humility Public critic ism — Devotion to his art His simplicity His generosity — ’ — — Madame M illet s legacy Friendships Purity of life — ' ’ — and feeli ng In diflerence to life s passions Absorption — — in his work Estimate of his Own work Portraits of — — — Corot His un roman tic aspect Peasant ancestry Dress and rso a c ar er st cs pe n l h act i i .

E are accustomed in studying the lives of a a an d a rtists , gre t sm ll , to expect a a o u t a in the dr m tic . We look for heredit ry fl uen ce an n , picturesque circumst ces , compelli g ’ as a a an d forces the m an s legitim te b ckground , when we reach the man himself we take it for an a a fin d a gr ted th t we sh ll something unusu l , a a an d of the w yw rdness eccentricities genius , l a a n f an d the strong e ement ry p ssio s , the ollies a n a we k esses , the ch rm or the repulsion which go to make up the somewhat theatrically co n ven ti n al an a o idea of rtist . And our ex ec a i p t t on s are ofte n en ough fulfilled . The “ ” artist has always been the spoilt child of 7 1 72 COROT the conven tion al world fo r him ordinary rules of a n a ar life , of educ tion , eve of mor lity , e set a side ; his bonds must be of the lightest , his o f a an d S O x a freedom the bro dest , , with e tern ls a a fo r an m de e sy him , with inward feeling h alf

a a t n a is a an d instinct , h lf tr di io , th t he bove all a n outside rule , life too Often t kes him i to Side-paths an d byways of ex isten ce where the popular biographer will fin d it unedifying to follow . w as n As a an But with Corot this ot s o . m has - a he no life story , except th t which is — written large over all his work the life of a n at on e a in simple , ki dly soul with N ture her a a h r peaceful , p stor l moods , unstirred by e as a a passions , content , we h ve s id , to let them roll by whilst he sits still an d does n ot even try n to catch an impressio . A a fin d n a a S boy , we him drudgi g w y dili gently at the very ordi n ary school to which he had n n n n been se t , ever disti guishi g himself fo r o r n his a either good evil , doi g work p ss an d a n a es as are ably well , t ki g such little ple sur a d offered him soberly n somewhat sadly . The “ ” lon g walks with his guardian on school a n holidays must h ve been dull enough , u less the boy had already learn ed to s ee in nature those wonderful pictures which he afterwards

COROT THE MAN 73

n an a a tra sferred to c v s . Home life must h ve had n o an d been duller still , for Corot brothers , n du Bac the busi ess house in the Rue , from which the father w as absen t all day at his o w n an d w as n a work , the mother e g ged with her an d n an d hat l aces ribbo s , her ruches her a n o t a ff o f a sh pes , could h ve o ered much

n r a an d w o playgrou d fo C mille his t sisters .

c an n a n However , we picture the childre pl yi g a n of a n on the p veme ts the qu ys , picki g up a o f a n scr ps life from the life rou d them , per a n n an d h ps run i g in out of the Louvre , which stretched its lon g li n e of buildi n gs n ot far away

n from the home of the M arch a de de Modes . a as a man a n a Th t Corot , , ret i ed very strong a ff o n e his a a n ection for of sisters , M d me Se ne o n n fo r a g , we k ow , she Sh red his home up to of a an d a his the time her de th , the f ilure of a a a n o own he lth d ted from this . But we h ve a n o an n necdotes , letters which tell us ythi g a as a a a a bout the boy boy , wh t g mes he pl yed as with his Sisters , whether he hectored them do w as a brothers , whether he their sl ve or their an a a a tyr t . The l tter it would be h rd to im gine , man w as a a a a for Corot the lw ys gentle , lw ys an d a a tender , lthough we h ve but few glimpses a n n a of his rel tio ships with wome , we c nnot but believe that a te n derness which was marked a f - men a n even tow rds his ellow , must h ve bee n x a n doubled whe e pressed tow rds wome . That he w as of n o particular importan ce in a n his home we h ve plenty of evide ce . Emm an uel Dammage tells a story of a di n n er at a a 1 86 at the B rbizon bout 7 , which both he and Corot were present . Corot being the oldest w as an d n guest served first , received the wi g of a a n chicken . He l ughi gly discl aimed his right ” a n an d a n s a to this reg l portio reg l ho our , y in g th at si n ce he had aban don ed trade ( n o w nearly fifty years ag o ) his family had always a as n o a a man reg rded him of import nce , to be “ ” “ a an d a served l st with drumstick . Give ” “ ’ a n o w a an d n a me th t , he s id , do t st rt me ” with b ad h abits ! For the greater part of his life the world treated him as an artist in much the same w ay as his family treated him as a man ; but with regard to his art Corot w as more sen sitive th an he w as with regard to his person al n an d is a positio , there little doubt th t he suffered keen ly from the neglect shown him n a - a an d by the ge er l public , the picture de lers , ’ “ i u a ! am those in authority at l In s t t t. Al s I ” a a to a still in the C t combs , he used excl im a a a a s aw desp iringly , when ye r fter ye r his work amon gst the worst hung at the s alons

a a n a - a an d sc pe very b dly hu g in the entr nce h ll , most person s Simply passed through without n at all K n n a are seei g it . owi g th t people — like Sheep where o n e goes another follows Corot stopped Opposite his own picture fo r a while in order to i n duce others to look at it . “ a a A young couple ppro ched . It seems to ’ ” a n had a man me th t this is t , s id the young ; ’ ” ” n a n there s somethi g in it . Oh , come lo g , ’ ” a an it s Tien s s id his comp ion , frightful . a to fo r w as n s id Corot himself, he fond of telli g “ a o u fo r fo r the t le , it serves y right wishing ” a the criticism o f the public . This s me picture a a fo r an an d the fterw rds sold fr cs , purchaser w as So pleased at becoming p os sessed of it th at he gave a fete in hon our of the event . Corot w as n ot the man to force his work or his o w n view of it o n the public : he gave the a an an d a w as world wh t it dem ded , wh t rejected fo r his o w n a an a he kept ple sure . Je Rousse u ’ a n o n e da to his r n tells us th t , goi g y f ie d s n n a o n a - studio , he fou d him e g ged life Sized “ a a an a a an d portr it of wom . Wh t virile supple pai n ti n g with which to h ave delight ” the eyes of Vela squez or Goya ! he crie? “ You will surely let the world see this ? n s ? d a Do you thi k o replie Corot , with

78 COROT ” an — and a d gerous t need I recommend it . If the aspirant chan ced to be the s o n of wealthy a an d so p rents , told Corot , he would reply , c an a So much the better , you muse yourself ” with painting . w as l aw Of his Fo r Simplicity the O w n life . a as a his ar ye rs , we h ve seen , he pursued t under the greatest difficulties as to outward con ‘ ven iences n in a a , conte t , P ris , with the sm llest ’ o f an d n n at d Avra studios , whe livi g Ville y with his paren ts never even attempti n g to h ave o n a u a a studio the spot , but l borio sly w lking t o and fro to his Pa ris flat to record an im n w as an a a pressio . He incess nt worker, rriving

t at a m nd n a his studio eight . . , a worki g there “ as a l e bon Dieu his a until , he s id , put l mps ” o ut at . a a a dusk His midd y me l , light one , w as taken on a ricketty table in the corner of an d w as a a the studio , it the dr wer of this t ble which served him in later years as a bank a bank from which he constantly supplied the an a a w ts of those less fortun te th n himself. Of his tender-hearted ben evolen ce en dless stories are an d n w as s o told , this be evolence well a w as known th t it often imposed upon . He himself tells us th at his heart felt so light after ” a a a w n deed of ch rity th t his ork we t better , an d that on these occasions he would Sin g as COROT THE MAN 79 he a a n to his n a p inted , ddi g words tu e somewh t in the following style : Here we place a lit

— b O — l a- la- la — tle y , our lit tle boy requires ’ ’ a — — — l -l a d n c ap there tis there tis a a n S O o . Corot had lived o n s o little for s o m any years that even when he grew co mparatively rich he n fo r o n a needed no mo ey his w ple sures . But for a friend in need he would n o t hesitate to

Spend even large sums . Hon oré D aumier had lived for years at a n in a a had V lmo dois sm ll house , which he h o a a Far oped t be ble to purch se . from the a a n a a re lis tio of his hope , however , there c me da w as a n n y when he thre te ed with evictio .

a a a n Corot , he ring of the m tter , h ste ed to the s a n a n pot , bought the property , p yi g c sh dow fo r an d a - n it , g ve the title deeds to his frie d . “ ” are man in a You the only the world , s id “ Da n u umier , with emotio , from whom I co ld a a a ccept such gift without blush . But Daumier w as not the on ly well- kn own ’ name with which C o ro t s generosity is c o n n d f hi ec te . Shortly be ore s death he w as en gaged in a large pecuniary tran saction with a c a n a an d w as ert i de ler , due to receive some t an an n as hous ds of fr cs . When the mo ey w a a a being p id over to him , Corot pl ced side a and a fr ncs , returned it to the de ler . 8 0 COROT

a as a e Will you be so good , he s id , to t k this an d p ay every yea r for the n ext ten years a n an a a l t pensio of fr cs to M d me Mil e , the widow of my frie n d Besides these an d other celebrated recipien ts his a n a s a e of ch rity , there were e dless ct of priv t are ac benevolence , with some of which we u ain ted n a q . The followi g story comes from correspon den t to the A thenaeu m about the time ’ a n a a of the artist s de th . O e morning de ler had come to p ay Corot a small sum of 500 a a n a a fr ncs . Whilst they were t lki g , wom n n a in a with two childre c me . She told piteous n o f a a tale of the ill ess her husb nd , model had n and n they no mo ey were starvi g . Corot a his w as at her s id purse home , he could give

an d n a nothing , he pushed her ge tly tow rds the a door . Arrived there , he pressed into her h nd an a a the 500 fr c note just p id him by the de ler, explai n ing that he had n o cha ng e ! Another anecdote shows us how great w as his dislike to bei n g fou n d o u t in his charitable acts . Some i as n of h s money w i vested in house property , the man agemen t of which w as entrusted to n n an d a relative . Whe re ts were due the

an s n o t a ten t could p y, they would come direct a a n a a to their l ndlord , compl ini g th t the m nager ’ - a w as hard hearted . I c n t listen to your

8 2 COROT all cl aim to h ave been his frien ds or pupils ; as has n a w as n o t but , bee justly rem rked , it difficult to assume a certain position of frien dli ness with a man of the easy- goi n g nature an d a — n a cer h bits of Corot to whom , i deed , up to a a a a t in period in his c reer , nyone could g in ’ a an a C o ro t s was ccess . For m y ye rs studio invaded at all hours and by all sorts of people ; but o n e year he w as ill an d advised by his a a a a s doctor to le d quieter life , fter which cces s n n had w as n ot o easy . Appoi tme ts to b e a an d n w as n m de , the co cierge told o ly to let in

u as had a s ch visitors he orders to dmit . This a had a an a n o t a f pl n some dv t ges , the le st o which to the visitor w as that he really had the opportunity of some convers ation with the a n m ster alo e . Of this later period an amusi n g an ecdote is ’ a n n a n told . A cert i frie d of the p i ter s wrote to as k fo r an i n terview an d permission to bri ng a a a with him visitor , priest of some st nding in an d an a of a t the Church dmirer the rtist . Coro x n u a as on n a h replied fi i g Th rsd y , Wed esd y e d a n u h ha model for the de . The friend lost t e n n as to a an d re ote , got co fused the d ys , p W dn e sented himself with M . the Abbé on e s da n w as n a an d y. The sitti g fortu tely over the od l a w as m el in fault ess ttire, but the picture yet COROT THE MAN 8 3

a a an and on the e sel . The Abbé dv ced stood

in a before it . Corot , gre t confusion , swore ’ un der his breath at his friend s careless n ess . ” n a Mo sieur , s id the priest , when I see some pictures of this ki n d at the exhibitions I turn away horrified at the tho ughts they sug ” f n o n e a a o a . gest , but this m kes me dre m he ve ” n in a Ah , mo sieur , cried Corot , gre t relief “ and an n are a a as th kful ess , you true rtist ” man o f n a well as a . This purity feeli g is ch r ac te ris tic an d w as n of Corot , closely con ected An n a with the purity of his life . i tim te friend , “ n 1 8 8 a of : w as writi g in 9 , s ys him Corot had an purity itself. He never y mistress but on e— a a an an d true , gre t mistress , idol visible all a a . n p lp ble to From her he received , eve a all his a from his e rliest youth , purity , his ch s a n a a a to n n tity , his p ssio te tt chment oble ess an d n as as I— virtue . You k ow her well she is ” a Dame N ture . To m an ki n d Corot remai n ed Supremely in ff n n an d n a w as di ere t . His ki d ge tle n ture torn an of a ff n an d has by y story p hysic l su eri g , he ten ed to relieve an y distress brought directly to his n otice ; but of human ity at large he kn ew

n d n i n an a n . a n a othi g c red oth g His im gi tion , s o keenly alive to the beau ties an d even common a of an a a s aw n n in a pl ces in im te n ture , othi g 8 4 COROT hum an being but a figu re which might lend a a n a a n a easa t h ppy fi ish to woodl nd sce e , p n who would add the necessary touch to enliven a a a n a e n fo r u s l ndscape . Sh ll we co fess th t her i ’ lies C o rot s weakn ess ? Herein lies the lac k which in front of the most exquisite of his c an a a u s is uch of v ses le ves cold . Where the to passion which carries with it its ow n pardo n in the face of m an y fau lts ? Where is the s tring a to fresh of hope , where the be con lighting ’ effort in the face of m an y failures C orot s art is a a a w i h gre t , but th t touch of hum nity h c a kindles life to meet life , th t splendid spark of immortality which raises Art above the mere n a a iss expressio of the Be utiful , th t we m . ’ C o rot s art is a a In s gre t , but it is n rrow . o far as a a a are un i trees , Skies , w ter , p sturel nd a S o far his art a b ut th vers l , in is univers l ; e

n a n . ff ri i ner te chings of life he ig ores Su e ng , a a a hem strife , dec y , de th , he will h ve none of t . a a c Yet it is through these th t higher existe n e , a n ew is a a a life tt ined . From the p ssing of a u n is ut m the spring born . But with the facts has n o n of life Corot concer he sees , enjoys , an d a all h reproduces the moment , bove , t e momen t which is beautiful or which veils in all a mar a mist th t might the be uty . Beauty is of a an d a is m ny kinds , th t not the highest

COROT THE MAN 8 5 which bears n o trace of the process through w as which it evolved . ’ Of C o rot s absorptio n in his work and his detachmen t from the affairs of the world around t are a w as him here m ny stories . To politics he a n ff a of a lmost e tirely indi eren t . His d ys ctivity were passed in the gayest an d most modern of a a to n a a re cities , th t P ris which he i v ri bly “ ” turn ed when ready to pai n t his dreams ;

an d in of a yet , the midst its teeming popul tion , t a n s s o in an a time whe life w a vivid Fr ce , a U in its through its politic l pris gs , its tumults , n his triumphs , its vicissitudes , Corot we t on w ay as undisturbed in his person al h abits as if he were still buried in the rural district near Semur in which his forefathers p assed an u n

n n in a revol u eve tful existe ce field l bour . The n 1 8 8 fo r a a tio of 4 , which time c used the U a a all E a and phe v l of urope , p ssed him by ; n had whe Louis Philippe , forced to fly , with

ffi a an d di culty esc ped with life limb , Corot , ar n a a to he i g the f ct from visitor his studio , “ a a a n a rem rked , It would ppe r , the , th t there ” are some people who are disco n ten ted ! Of the ’ d Etat 1 8 1 a Coup (December , 5 ) he only bec me a a n a t had a a w re two mo ths f er it t ken pl ce , an d whe n i n formed of it by a frie n d b e c o n fessed th at he had bee n so busy pain ti n g that he 8 6 COROT h d n n a o t ope ed a n ewspaper for three months . Of literature the artist w as almost as ignorant as o f a a on o n e a n politics . It is s id th t occ sio , ’ a n n a n t e he ri g Victor Hugo s me mentio ed , he a n a m rked , It would seem , the , th t Victor Hugo is a man n in a d well know liter ture . He use occasionally to buy books at the old stalls on u a w as a the Q y , but it for their sh pe or colour, n f r a n n was ot o their liter ry co te ts . He no a n w as re der , the o ly work he ever known to ’ s n n s a P o euc te tudy bei g Cor eille tr gedy of ly , an d th at he w as still readi n g at the end of

w n a . AS a a a he t e ty ye rs e ch ye r c me by , would s a N o w a a n P o y, this ye r I re lly must fi ish ly ' euc te but he never reached the en d Of his o w n estimate of his work it is diffic ult to speak ; th at he loved every can vas he ever w e a a n an touched h ve bu d t evidence . Mont ‘ rosier tells us h o w he fo u n d himself o n e summer eve n i n g with Corot almost alone in an u a w the the Dur d R el G lleries , here two of ’ a o n a l tter s works were exhibit . Corot w lked n w a n rou d slo ly , s luti g the masterpieces col

lec ted an d x n there , e pressi g his admiration in vivid ej acu lation s an d ex quisitely chosen words

. n as of criticism Whe , would occasionally a n a a h ppe , words f iled him ltogether , he would Mo n tros ie r an d his an a turn to press h d , s ying ,

8 8 COROT w his a n e ith work , gl dly lendi g it for xhibition , an d o n more than one occasion presen ting b u specimens of it to public collections , t in l ater life he w as as well aware of its pecu niary “ as i s a a c an a wa a of t rtistic v lue . I give y ” “ s a de picture , he would y, but I will not grade my art by putting too low a price upon ” it . We h ave tried to give in words some idea of n n an a er the simple , te der , ki dly hum n ture und lying the outward ch aracteristics o f Corot the a w a n n s ee how artist . As it is l ys i teresti g to ’ far a man s i n ward ch aracter is express ed in n a a a an u s a e the his perso l ppe r ce , let ex min a a a an d s ee how portr its to which we h ve ccess , much of the man is visible in his physical pre s n tm n e e t.

The best- kn ow n portraits in oil are one by

a x a 1 8 a her Dec n , e hibited in the S lon of 75 , not n a n an and by Be edict M sso , yet other by Belly , a a as re fourth by the rtist himself, which w p sented after his death to the Uffizi collection “ ” of a n a Of P i ters portr yed by themselves . black an d white portraits there is a famous ” a Boc ou rt one , Corot with his Pipe , by G briel , ’ a l A t a the etched especi lly for r . It is perh ps all n a an d s most vivid of existi g portr its , give

a his - a a o u fli n the rtist in most wide w ke m od , p g COROT THE MAN 8 9

at his - w as a a well beloved pipe , which lw ys c a n lled in to help in his momen ts of inspiratio . A a f a nother , by A . Gilbert (m de by him rom a and a Perric h n photogr ph , engr ved by o ) , Shows a a a n at the rtist in dre my mood , looki g the c a s spe t tor , but with eyes reflecting thought in his a d a is own mind , n unconscious of wh t a n a t ki g pl ce before them . All these are taken in later life when the ’ artist s h air w as whiten ed by advancing age d his f an face lined with the experiences O life . a a n 1 8 0 u s An engr ving by B . M sso ( 4 ) Shows a at an a r a e the m ster e rlie g , though even then an an d is by no me s in his first youth , distin g uished from most of the others by its givi n g a a O n e a the rtist short h ir . other portr it with short hair we n otice in a pe n cil S ketch by his f ra n ai n riend F c s . Two other pe cil sketches a fa and were m de by Aimé Millet , one full ce a a n one in profile . Photogr phs exist in bu a a n d all w a d nce , more or less Sho the s me a a ch r cteristics . a a an a a and The h ir is bund t , prob bly co rse , is allowed to take its o w n w ay as to arrange n an d m ment , showing little Sig of brush co b a a — a or mirror . The f ce is squ re the forehe d — particularly s o and the features thick and w a a are an d some h t he vy . But the eyes keen 90 COROT

l a in f and l ook you str ight the ace , the ines round them are li n es of humour and kindly i . s en interest The mouth , too , firm yet t der , and a the whole f ce , though scored with the a e is a f an a lines of g , str ngely ree from y m rks ’ of a n Co rot s w as essen ti p ssio or selfishness . a a n n a an d n his lly su y n ture , the sunshi e of life is reflected in his face as we see it in old — age an old age of mellow ripeness without a of w as et Sign decay . Corot no humorist , y had a n an d h some reput tio for wit , this toget er with his simplicity and general kindlin ess made him all his life through the centre of many — frien dships frien dships which compensated him for the neglect of the outside world during a a his f his the gre ter p rt of li e . A study of portraits helps u s to understand his personal a to a the ch rm ; it helps us underst nd , too , diffi culty felt by other artists who on first seei n g Corot were un able to reconcile his n u an a a an C arétie rom tic ppe r ce with his work . l gives us a very good idea of the impression ’ m ade on a stran ger by the artist s common place exterior in a description he gives of a a a a a first sight of him t the tre . For moment the impression made w as o n e of an extremely c ou n trified a a a a n a ppe r nce , but lmost i st ntly something on the stage caused his face to light

COROT THE MAN 9] u an d a a a w as an p , immedi tely the pe s nt tr s

n a formed i to the artist . The s me writer goes a o n to a more mi n ute description . His he d w as a a n n powerful , his forehe d gr d , evertheless a n a a n a n his fe tures were refi ed ; str ight ose , dr w o n e had with stroke ; the mouth , which the a a a of n n w as a ppe r nce smili g willi gly , usu lly s lightly Open as that of one who is in c o n te ml platio n ; but that which struck o n e most w as a a n a n the forehe d , th t oble forehe d crow ed with a a n c o u n ten we lth of flowi g hair . The whole — an ce brea thed two elements gaiety an d a a thoughtfulness . Lips th t smiled , eyes th t ” a dre med . We h ave an other person al accoun t from

u n w ho in Sou n i r - i n times a : D mes il , , his ve s , s ys

w as a a and u o f a Corot f irly t ll sto t , robust n n an d air at a co stitutio , once vigorous , fr nk , an d a an he lthful ; his eyes soft , yet bright ; expression of good - fellowship tempered by a a a in l a much t ct , gre t nobility his who e p earan c e are a a p . These the chief ch r cteristics

a n of the symp thetic perso ality of Corot . He had a an d a blue eyes , high colour , complexion which gave him the look of a vi n e-grower of n Bourgog e . These rustic ch aracteristics were partly due t o - of- fo r w as a his out door life , Corot essenti lly 92 COROT an e -air a i w as a due a op n rt st , but it p rtly lso to h e t n er di y . We k ow nothing of his mother or the n s he a of surroundi gs from which spr ng ,

’ b u t Corot a i n e came of a family of Burgundian ’ eas a s His a p nt . gr ndfather (Camille s great grandfather) had been a smal l farmer ; his s on ’ b e am a a and his son a a n a l c e b rber , g i (C mil e s fat e a her) end d by being shopkeeper , although at m n n a one ti e holdi g some mu icip l post . am n a an d C ille , however , bor in P ris of the — bourgeois class a class concern i n g its elf mai n ly w th the a a f n n ali e i det ils of everyd y li e , ig ori g k — bo th the past an d the future w as essentially a a a and a a a a n pe s nt , pe s nt he rem i ed to the end his a a a a of d ys . In his w lks bro d he wore a lon g black coa t an d a high black satin stock ; u b t when it w as possible to ignore convention , at his cas e when he desired to be completely , his insti n ct l ed him to adopt the costume of his — an d a n c a class a blue blouse cotto p . But of the man Corot there is little more to — s ay w e must pass o n to Corot the artist. “ We will do so in the words of Dupre z As ffi u a painter we might repl ace him with di c lty ,

m — r as a an neve .

94 COROT consciousn ess of his o w n power w as never a ’ a o ro s art had n o f ctor in C t . He theories , he a n o a to a n a m de ttempt ttu e N ture to his moods , he followed hers ; and herei n lies one of the n secrets of his great ess . There is no desire ” Q to force Corot the pai n ter i n to the picture . In o n e hu n dred of his pai n ti n gs we fin d o n e n a fo r at hu dred p inters Corot , the moment of a n n m an a n an d p i ti g , is just the th t the sce e the hour combi n e to make him: ” “ In a in 1 8 2 n ec es It ly , wrote Corot 5 , the s ity for architectural drawi n g is so great th at I ” must set myself to work to learn it . It is i n terestin g to trace his steps u pward through a a ar l this speci l br nch of his t. Of s ight pen cil Sketches Corot u n fortu n ately left but few from which we may gather his methods of s a ff arc hitec tudy. One of the e rliest e orts in a a 1 8 2 6 ture of which we know be rs the d te , an d is a pai n ti n g of a portion of Rome in the u of of a neighbo rhood the Tombs the Cae s rs . We are struck with the a moun t o f detail in the an d a an picture , while from the rtistic st dpoi n t are n mn an we disposed to co de , we c not but see an d admire in it the perseveran ce of the a a a a n rtist who , with his ide ls lw ys urgi g him a a n a tow rds the poetic tre tme t of subject , yet for a a n a the s ke of wh t he co sidered necessity , COROT THE ARTIST 95 con strained himself to mastery through hard d w as a n work an study . This picture p i ted duri n g the period when his comrades refused to regard Corot as a serious student ; an d in truth an immeasurable distan ce lies between this sketch an d the famous o n e of the Coliseum presen ted in l ater yea rs to the Louvre . I n poi n t of time a few months o n ly separate this laborious an d heavy paintin g from the drawi n g n w a a of the Coliseum , e dowed ith the rom nce of an d an a poet , executed with the skill of rchitect ; an d we ma rvel at the rapidity with which Corot attai n ed such m astery of w hat had bee n to him but so short a time before almost a

n e w a rt . In the early days Corot painted e n tirely o u t of an d Cla rétie a of a doors , Spe ks sketch which the pai n ter himself poin ted out to him as his n n a un a first , represe ti g merely the de d tr k of n a a tree , but holdi g promise of wh t the rtist

n w as a 1 8 2 2 . a would attai to . It d ted After a a a while , however , Corot re lised th t the re l aim at w as a an object to to c tch impression , n ot to copy accurately what he s aw ; b e there n n u a a fore , while co ti ing to m ke c reful studies , m ade also m any n otes for pictures to be after “ a in ma w rds completed the studio . You y cram more waves i n to the square i n ch than an y 96 COROT m an of a e . . . other your g , wrote R A M Steven “ — son ; but it looks beggarly reality being — in fin ite to count out hun dreds when you ” n Co m might conjure up the illusio of millions . ’ pare this passage with C orot s own words If ou in a ff y crowd too much you we ken e ect , or falsify everythi n g in the effort to b e too ”

a a . da ex ct , he s ys No two hours of the y are a an d an on e just like , you c not put both on ” canvas . Dumes n il considers that the class ic was ’ quite as much C o rot s n atural style as any ” other ; but if it be true that his n atural bent l a in a y this direction , his genius le ned certainly a a a n a u e ahd tow rds the portr y l of t re , simpl

a . an an a un dorned Like m y other rtist , Corot w as n ot aware in what division of his art he - n a a stood pre emi ent . We h ve indeed to th nk n a n his inbor t le t for much of his best work . When his geni u s burned stron g an d impellin g n a his an d withi him he rose , took tools , an n s at n w deri g out , himself dow , by preference w an d a here there were trees some w ter , but n an d a with little defi ite choice of spot , g ve to the world the livi n g reproduction of the atmo a u s sphere , the verdure , the life th t surround a a im everywhere . In re lity m ny of the sites mortalised by him have no merit of their own

COROT THE ARTIST 97

’ the scenery around Ville d Av ray is common a a c pl ce in the extreme , but with the m gi o n a a w n imparted to them c nv s , the glo i g freshn ess of spri n g with its eternal promise of

n a n n a an d re ew l , the li geri g be uties mysteries of a n a n are all n in the f di g utum tints , bor e upon u s anew with every gl ance we take at on e ’ a a in of C o rot s pai n tings . Th t qu lity which a a to a a n ture c lls us rejoice , m kes our he rts w a n a beat ith the gl d ess of mere existence , th t a an d is there . We st nd before his pictures

n a and as a a dri k in their be uty , we turn w y we feel that we h ave inhaled a breath of pure air we h ave taken in n ew hOp e an d n ew vigour ; we move a way once more aware of the glory and a a t of life , w ke o the possibilities which lie u s before . w as n a a a For Corot esse ti lly n ture lover . We see a summer sketch ; we l anguish in the heavy sensuous heat of a drowsy midsummer

” ’ ’ da s a u C o rot s y. This , we y, m st be — favourite season And yet wh at is this pic ture of autumn ? the final glories of summer burn i n g themselves out in a passion of crimson an d an — n a a or ge ; or this which , i deed , ppe led n a w ho a more stro gly to the rtist , reg rded vivid — colour in nature as discordant where the passion has sunk to rest in the peace of a still H 98 COROT a n n re a n rf c uie ill utum eveni g , d mi g in pe e t q t t the touch of spri n g sh all awaken it to n ew life an d a a a a fai r -lik fresh be uty , sh ll c ll forth y e n u n a u r gree sullied by the dust of the e rth p e , un con scious as yet of the fuller fru ition o f n approachi g summer . ’ C o ro t s is at o n e t a s ca e soul wi h the l nd p , an d a n a ma h be the se so wh t it y, of the Nort o r of u an an d the ho u r the So th , he is of the l d i a n n which he s p i ti g . Corot complai n ed on ce to Daubigny that he ” m tie r m ti r had n o é . é e ed D No , repli au n n n on a a big y you put othi g the c nv s , yet all

. An d s o n i is there i deed it is . There s a on e a a h little picture , of his m sterpieces , c lled t e “ ” - a a n Towing p th . Upon this work lo e (th e canvas measuri n g less than a foot either w ay) a a o n a n n i t n whole tre tise p i ti g might be wr t e . n is e Of desig there little , of work less ; y t a more consummate piece of art it would be diffi

to fin d. a n of cult Here is descriptio the pictu re . of a a a The bend river , prob bly the Seine , t a n a a n most u ttr ctive spot , e tirely commonplace d a l flat a an fe ture ess . A gr ss path lies o n the an d a a - a l a right , white c rt horse with d o n its back plods along both common en ough figures at the side of an y towin g- path a li n e o f tree s an an d a a in a bluish dist ce , ne rer group to th e

100 COROT

as t and es e l ttle daub s a r of the m er , th i e , a n ti n indeed h a perh ps , u worthy of men o ; , d they by a fraction more nearly res emb led th e ’ a s m hav co d mn m ster s be t work , we ight e n e ed as as is we are unab l them spurious , but it , e to credit an yone but Corot himself with the a a o f n a the can vas es ud city sig ing his n me to . There w as a period when Corot mus t have b ee n n n a W u der a stro gly m levolent influence . e at s a s o a in touc h get , thi time , p intings h rd th at it s eems i n credible that they came fro m “ ” “ ” a as a u a u the s me brush Le P t r ge , Aut mn , ” An E n n a and n e of othe ve i g W lk , umb rs rs . There are some in which the usually unerring sen se of light an d colour went entirely as tray a and o i a Op que browns dirty greens pred m n te , an d the tran slucent qu ality which we loo k fo r ’ in r s is n a s C o o t best work e tirely bsent . The e a n s are a e w r p inti g , which mostly und t d , e e u u a a r do btless exec ted bout the e rly thi ties , al a rd when J , while cl ssing Corot with Edwa n an d Ali n n Berti g y, compl ai ed that his c olour w as flat an d n a uninteresting . Discouragi g s so adverse a criticism must have been to the n a n w as you g p i ter , it the first public n otice

an n a his an d of y ki d th t work received , on th is account appeared to him as s o dec ided a step forward th at he w as the less inclined to quarrel COROT THE ARTIST 1 01 w an n in ith the subst ce of it . Yet eve this transition period he often broke through the a w as an d clouds mong which he struggling , tw o his a are of e rly works , which in their a a a sever l w ys unique , well deserve speci l n n me tio . a an a n of an We h ve ve ue trees , with br ches n a n a a a n i terl ci g cross ro d , letti g through a n spl shes of bright su shine upon it . There is a vigour in its detail th at h as an attraction e its o w n and a a ntirely , be rs str ngely little ’ a n r a n rel tio ship to C o o t s more developed m n er . The picture may be described as a statement o f a i f ct without comment from ts chronicler . A touch of red gleams from a petticoat in a a an d f and sombre dist nce , the flecks o light occasional i n dication of Single leaves among the wealth of green ery overhead reveal the ' ’ earliest awakeni n gs in C o ro t s mi n d of his a n l ter convictio s . The other picture con tains detail mi n ute enough to be worthy of the early Dutch school . “ We may classify the work as th at of the s ty l e ” m tre n of cha e . a p In the ce tre is group trees , on e ma a n a al upon which y e sily cou t the le ves , though they are revellin g in the full luxuri an ce of midsummer to the left lies a careful stretch ’ a n of h of me dow , some mome ts study whic 102 COROT might easily serve as a lesson to a you thfu l an s o a is a u ral row th bot ist , c refully the n t g d In is a u repro uced . the foreground po nd , po n the border of which a boat is j u st being p re ’ pared fo r a trip ; various women s figu res — peas an ts in red skirts are disposed abou t th e u an d a a a e a i s pict re , from sort of It li n op r g p y encampmen t un der the trees rises the b lu e f is ain t n smoke o a camp fire . There more p o this can vas th an would in his later years have s fo r a a u n erved Corot h lf dozen pict res , or deed would he then h ave fou n d any use fo r the rich red brown s an d emerald greens w ith on e a which this bounds . But the work has merit ; an d it is s aid that one day Sir John a a n n a l s ud Mill is , h vi g Spe t some time in c refu t y of a a n an n its det il , expressed full u derst di g o f “ to a had n s c h the height which its uthor rise , u ” n n n n h avi ng bee his begi i g . But Corot w as rarely s atisfied with his own a a l andscapes . N ture ppeared to him always ” u . n a m s ai el sive Whe I in the fields , he d , “ I am seized with a rage agai n st my p ic ” tures . He describes also his difficulties w ith fast ‘ ’ n . ! a n movi g clouds Stop s id I , tryi g to n emulate Joshu a with the s u . But the clouds

a an continued to drive , the Sky ch nging const tly

COROT THE ARTIST 1 03

both in form a n d colour. I cried out to them to an n fo r a n a n o st d , if o ly mome t , th t I might t — pai n t them wron gly as thou gh a Sky stan d ” in g still would be a Sky at a ll ! Corot c o n s idered the highest complimen t had been paid to him when a con n oisseur in art told him that ” his clouds moved well . “ a re n a fo r a a n There four esse ti ls p i ter , the artist used to s ay to the pupils who came to in n him such numbers ; form , colour , se ti n a d n u to me t , n executio . Apply yo rself the acquisitio n of th at in which you fail ; but a all o w n o w n bove obey your instincts , your n a of n a n a i dividu l method looki g t thi gs . Le ve all n o t a c o n s c ie n the rest , it does m tter . Be ” — of in tious the whole Art lies th at . w as a a n a Corot most prolific p i ter . Ch rles Bigot tells us that his frie n ds e s tim ated the n u m ber o f his works at from four to five thousan d an d Corot himself told o n e of his frien ds th at

n u a a he painted about te fig re pictures ye r . “ ” “ a n This , he rem rked , mou ts up in fifty ” e a n a s o y rs . And we k ow th t he received little enco u rageme n t in this bran ch of his art th at it w as by no mean s the o n e to which he

a n . a w as directed his gre test e ergy Rousse u , ’ h w a a a of C oro t s o ever , gre t dmirer figure a n n p i ti gs . 104 COROT “ ma a a I y be bi ssed , he rem rks , but to my mi n d Corot made advan ces o n the art of his day which included advances o n all that had n a go e before . He introduced the p inting d rs a of the figure out of oo , thing which even and V an had a Rubens Dyck not ttempted . ’ C o rot s fles h- n are and the ti ts those of life , if a is n o t its a is dr wing very studied in det il , it profoundly true in ch aracter and in ge neral n an d e constructio , from this point of vi w , ” an a therefore , r ks with the gre test . An d yet his more highly fi n ished works we re almost entirely figure pictures of the classical an d has led sort , this it is , doubtless , which some of his critics to con sider that his talent l a a in n as n an y s much this directio i l dscape . Dumesn il remarks th at if at the en d of his career he devoted himself almost entirely to a and a an a e the creation ofgr ceful fe thery l dsc p s , “ it w as perh aps more from the te nden cy of o ld age to ren ew the impression s of youth an an a n n e th from y other re so , for Corot ev r e n tirely aban doned compositions of a serious n ature . There is a note of regret over the neglect of classical work in these remarks which we fin d as e it hard to account for . Fine were som of ’ ff are C o rot s e orts in this direction , they ,

1 06 COROT distaste for vivid colouri n g in nature ; he s eems to h ave disliked the display an d self- assertion expressed by it ; yet he did not hes ita te to make use of it where he realised its val ue for a a ff In the c u e dr m tic e ect . his study for pi t r of H amlet the setti n g s u n flames in the west with a glow that wo uld not have disgraced a

an a of an d in t n of c v s Turner , the Destruc io ” S odoml the whole l an dscape is abl az e w ith

a n And i the lurid gl re from the burni g city . t w as this picture which its author desired should be the first on e saved if destruction should at

an a n l el s y time thre te his studio . Dumesn i t l u s th at at o n e time Corot w as much occupied with the work of Titian he expresses his s u r at a was w s a ed prise this f ct , which , ho ever , t t to him by the artist himself ; an d i n deed there is n o outward Sign of an y influen ce of the ’ an a n C o ro s Veneti m ster upo t work . Corot w as always keen ly alive to the c riti cis m of a an d es t his brother rtists , the slight mention of his work in the early days aroused

his a . e gr titude When Alfred de Musset , ther “ in 1 8 6 a a i fore , 3 , rem rked th t Corot in h s ‘ ’ ” an a a a has a Rom C mp gn found dmire rs , w s Corot a profoundly moved . He sought out ’ n e of an d a n some li s de Musset s , , ccordi g to

’ person s who cannot value a man s colou r unless and he hits them in the eye with red , blue , and a a a an d yellow , c lls ttention to the delic cy subtlety of open-air colours which he claims

a . . . th t Corot rendered w ith sincerity . R A M ‘ Steven son s ays of him : QC o ro t gene rally works o n a n a a ar compositio m de of bro d , Simply

an a as . and r ged , l rge m ses These he surrounds overlays with a lovely lace - work of light n d bra ches an floating leaves . N o w th at Corot has bee n recog n ised as a a o n e a n n a e a m ster , whose p i ti gs h v high — m arket value now th at to possess a Co rot an a a is is to possess cknowledged tre sure , it

a a . a a musing to be told th t G . P Ch lmers , a a as as t e Scotch Ac demici n , recently the eigh i s , had the utmost difficulty in persuadi n g the Royal Scotch Academy to h an g a Corot at all a r . Would the priv te collectors in the no th — at the presen t day an d they are not a few credit the fact tha t Corot w as con demne d an d scor n ed in Scotlan d a t the Exhibition of — 1 8 8 5 6 ? C H A PTE R V I I — CRITICIS M CONTEMPORARY AND LATER — — — G ustave Planche Thore Edmond About Paul M antz

— - A ccusation of monotony Buisson Ernest Chesneau — ’ The A rt j ou rn al of 1 867 Chaumelin an d L A rt Con tem a — — or in The Bor olio 1 8 0 A . H . B c ne p g/ , 7 i k ll r d ri — M v nson — ns e e d r . m c e mo e R A . Ste e o F k W . C y — — — Carr Madame van Rensselaer Albert Wolff Absence — — o f real French criticism His pastorals The pseudo ’ — c lassical schoo l Corot s figures René- Men ard J ean Rousseau .

T is always a matter of peculiar interest in the face of the verdict pronoun ced by an other generation to re - read contemporary a a criticism . From the m ss th t exists upon ’ C o rot s work we h ave tried to select the most a and a a vit l , present it to our re ders to pprove or condemn according to their own in dividual judgment. Beyon d the few words written by Jal an d one or two other critics in the very early d ays when Corot w as yet unknown (some of which we a l of an h ve quoted elsewhere) , litt e y import 1 09 1 10 COROT an a a a 1 8 8 ce ppe red before the ye r 3 , when “ Gustave Plan che wrote as follows : It wo uld a allow d be pity if, in spite of everything , Corot e a a u a himself to be discour ged by l ck of pop l rity. It were well if among the caravan loads of painters w ho overrun France there were one a an d s et i who despised vulg rity , himself to n trodu ce n n a a a tin somethi g new i to l ndsc pe p in g . n ailur Whether they be cou ted successes or f es , ’ C o ro t s l an dscapes are a useful protest agains t the dwarfed realism which me n aces our school ; at an a n n h the he , y r te , concer s himself o ly wit d i eal . e . a l T Thor , whose criticism on rt of a l an d w as a periods schools most trench nt, seem s to h ave had some difficulty in assigning Corot an n n an e of y defi ite positio . He beg to writ him as a as 1 8 n th e rly 44 , whe he described e pictures exhibited th at ye ar at the S alon with m uch vigour ; but in 1 8 47 he wrote of a sm all la n dscape in a man n er which proved him to b e n at o n e a to a e e e tirely with the rtist , h v pe n trate d fo r once to the very heart of the pai n ter d an his work . ’ E n n Eff in - ve i g ect . A river ; mid stream a a n b a o f ! bo t , Showi g l ck groups trees to right an d to left ; a distan t lead -coloured s ky in the s ame twilight scheme of colour ; two notes

CRITICISM 1 1 1

n a a and a a o ly , d rk bistre p le silver , which an ff n a unite in producing e ect of Sile ce , dre m 1, an d n an like mela choly . St d a moment before n as this little picture , with its first impressio

f n o a . Y o u ai r co fused sketch will feel the , an d n Y o u are soft scarcely stirri g . enveloped in a diaphan ous mis t which floats over the river away in to the distan ce u n til it is lost in n n of o n n the gree ish ti ts the sky the horizo . You are aware Of the almost imperceptible — soun ds o f this quiet spot the trembli n g of the a n o f a n to a le ves , the motio fish risi g the surf ce ll of the water . You feel a the peace of th at n n n n a a da o f a eve i g whe , resti g fter y toil t the ’ a o u a f r n w ter s edge , y w tched o the ight to

a . aim o f a n Show forth her first st rs If the p i t 1 ’ ’ in g be to commu n icate to others the artist s ’ o w n n a n a n C ro s feeli gs bout ture , the o t lan d ” a u n o f a r sc pe f lfils every requireme t t. An d yet o n an other occasion this s ame critic writes o f the same artist in the followi n g words This cumbersome execution ; this a a a a l boured dr wing , lthough it chieves a cer tai n elegan ce ; this plastered an d lifeless colour — in g all betray a great perseverance which has never attained to a m astery o f the tech n ique o f his a rt . Corot is like a sen sitive an d eloque n t man an , whose l guage remai n s always a stranger 1 12 COROT

is u of a to h tho ght . But in spite this we h ve n o f at o n e see sketches his , executed sitting , ff of are which , with their soft e ects light , well able to hold their ow n by the Side of more ” n d n n vigorous a striki g painti gs . E n in 1 8 his Vo a e a dmo d About , 55 , in y g ’ trac ers l E x os ition a p , introduces the n me of Corot in the followi ng manner : Corot is a a n n a an a a p i ter , u ique , exception l he st ds p rt ‘ ’ from all ge n res and from all schools ; he

n n n ot even n atu re and f imitates othi g , , is himsel a ! N O a has s i n imit ble rtist more style, or know better how to put his o w n ideas into a land an all a scape . He tr sforms th t he touches ; he appropri ates all th at he pai n ts ; he copies never ; an d eve n whe n pai n ti n g directly from nature

n n n a a he i ve ts . In passi g through his im gin tion all Objects reclothe themselves in vague

n a n n d a d ch rmi g forms ; colours soften a melt , ” l n a al becomes you g , fresh , h rmonious . In 1 8 59 P aul M an tz summed up Corot in the n is a a an followi g words Corot poet , musici ,

a n . a an d a few co jurer He t kes a brush , with colours which are said to be always the same n a a he evolves some co fused forms , v gue app

ritio n s n n a . is , mo oto ous foli ge It little for the n u s worshippers of tech ique , but for it embodies

an in x i N ature with her poetic mel choly , her to

1 14 COROT lan dscapes as beautiful dreams of awaken in g a n an a ar o ld th d w , pictures of im gin y w r , e of o u r is f w embryo world which to ollo . Th i s fan tastic cou n try is like the prelude t o a a a s n n superior work . We re lise th t thi u k o w n world is the first sketch for ours that late r o n n ue the trees will grow gree , the Skies bl . This new plan et discovered by Corot is ia habited by pale forms bearing resemblance to n in are a m h m a kind the titles they c lled ny p s , b u t n are in b r I thi k they , truth , souls just o n , n a a n an f maki g their first cqu i t ce with li e . Fo w as a n n d llo ing , we h ve co ti ued to o , the s equence o f years in which the criticisms w e re

r n n e a w i tte , we now come to o which ppeared in the A rt ou rnal 1 8 6 an d ead i j of 7 , which r n the light of the estimatio n of later years bears s s n a in an an i n tere t en tirely it o w . N ture Fr ce is o fte no a an d a d n t a little peculi r , French l n sc ape pai n te rs willi n gly len d themselves to her a nd ecc e n tric ities . Trees s straight a stripped as hare as maypoles adorn every Parisi an

a . a n n a s an ar G llery Fl t , u eve tful tr ct of l d e n al s o the delight of the great natio . A Germ an c s m un a s s a a n E ffe t o t in , fore ts , l kes ; Fre ch e is e h a a a an d pai n t r cont nt wit m rsh , moor , - a :I wi nd s tricken tree . It requires not little s kill to evoke a picture in the absence of a sub

1 1 6 COROT

a n s s r r sin res ul which Corot obt i s uch u p i g ts , have been the mean s of seducing a n u mb er of artists w ho h ave perceived in all this only an authoris ation to con ve n ient negligence and ia ” a n correctness of dr wi g . — — Up to this time 1 868 it does n ot appear to h ave occurred to any of the c ritics that this peculiar quality O f work introduc ed by C oro t ma a ul n ot n differen y h ve been the res t , of i c e aw n a c mmat a to dr i g , but of most onsu e rt followi ng upon u n tiring study and an article in P or t ol io in 1 8 0 u o the f 7 , touching p fl this n a ca ion view , bri gs it forw rd with some ut , an d more as a suggestion of a possibility than as a a f st tement o fact . “ ma u n a af e r his f We y rely po it th t , t fi ty a a a a r s m le ye rs with n ture , th t which to ve y i p mi n ded critic appears ignorance in his work is

n ot an a ma b e . In ignor ce , wh tever else it y his present practice Corot cannot be s aid to draw an ythi n g wh atever in the usual sense of a is a a i the word dr wing . There st ge n Art be ond n a a has y study , whe fter learning wh t to a n at be le rnt , we look o ce more nature with a of a and the wondering g ze child , receive im pression s without con scious analysis of their n s causes . To pai t in this spirit require either u n usual courage or unusual s implicity of ch ar CRITICISM 1 17 a a fa of cter , bec use criticism is sure to ll foul an n n an d a an d y ge ui e poetical work buse it , ” accuse the poet of ign orance o r affectation . In the same con n ection Bui s so n speaks o f ” n n ine x lic the stre gth of his tech ique , his p able mann er which w as gai n ed by forty years of o r a a to s a struggle , perh ps we ought r ther y ” “ a a n lli nce with ature . Outside his poetic ” “ n n had visio , Buisson co tinues , Corot little n o n e a n a o f a b eyo d ide , he ce the refus l pros ic n to Spirits to recognise his worth , Si ce them it appeared as though he on ly p ai n ted on e lan d n scape over an d over agai . “ n in Gaz ette Whether , wrote Buisso the des B eau x A r ts an at n , he st ds su rise outside a a in n n in n n vill ge Auverg e , e veloped mor i g mists ; whether he stan ds before the Coliseum at n n a n c o n eve i g , while the light before f di g c en trates itself in the depths of the sky ; o r whether he sketches a Fran ciscan mon k medi — tati n g in the bright su n shi n e he approaches

ll n a n a a i the s me u bi ssed spirit , without pre n b e conceived system , letti g himself possessed n a in an d pen etrated by the impressio . Th t ,

of a n . a deed , is the secret gre t ess The m ster w ho produces a creation o f st re n gth an d i n dividu ality does S O by bein g imperson al in the ” fa in a a a n ce of nature . I t is his gre t im gin tio 1 1 8 COROT

’ th at C o ro t s chief merit lies it is through this th at he has become the familiar of the demi s of a n n a for all this an god p i ti g . But sh ll we y the more close our eyes to his weak po in ts ? Had he bee n possessed of the precision of a man of scie n ce there would have remained n othi n g fo r the l an dscape painter of th e future ! ”

n Old a n d N ew a s : U nles A . H . Bick ell in s y s we study the mos t subtle ph ases of natu re w e ’ s a to an C oro s wor mu t f il see y merit in t k . This is n o t surpri s i n g if we consider that h e almos t ig n ores drawi n g as it is tec hnically a h u n derstood . He de ls frequently with t e n n u a nd n a hard a mo oto o s dull in ture , with ly line o r s i ngle m ass worthy o f a fine comp os i n n o t n n a s le tio ; in truth , u freque tly without ing ” n t an d a a s H Object th at is o stale ch r cterles . e goes o n l ater to a description of a particular an an r picture Before us h gs exquisite Co ot. W e kn ow full well that a ball of cotto n s tuc k a n o t a n o r a a of r w n on stick is tree , p tch b o — a c o w yet the picture is inexpressibly charm ’ fo r C o rot s a n in s ing . gre t ess lies the truthfulne s ” n o f his values . There is somethi g singula rly ’ an d C o ro t s a a a lowly humble in rtistic spir tions . Wh at the world regards as the meanest forms an d scen es of n ature are fondly cherished by

CRITICISM 119

as a n of him , but though he were h lf co scious their in s ig n ific an c e to the world he i n dicates but lightly their forms th at he may the better d n a display their te n der sh ades an ti ts . M jestic trees are n othi n g to Corot the pai n ter ; a ny brushwood lifti n g its bran ches above the horizon l as a furn ishes a l he seeks . Much we dmire n ot n n n his work , we should in strict ess pro ou ce a a a a him gre t rtist . True gre tness compre n n n a he ds more th a c a justly be cl imed for him . Corot seems to us a fragmen t of a great artist

— a n d a n n noble a precious fr gme t , i deed , yet wanti n g the breadth an d i n tensity of thought n which disti n guish the truly great pai ter . ’ i n C o r n n There is o t s work a mo oto y . He a a is an r rely gives us surprise . Yet there n a n i n all a i describ ble pe siveness th t he does , n o t a a to o u r a n a n which , if it does ppe l im gi tio , o u r touches ten derest sympathies . There is n o evidence in his work from the begi n n i n g o f there bei n g an ythi n g beyon d for which he n is strivi g . There is a complacency per vadi n g all his productions which points u n erri n gly to the narrow limits of his capacity as an a an d w an a u n i rtist, shows the t of th t versality of love an d m astery of n ature which is the sure i n dex of the broad an d compre hen i n s ve mi d o f a great artist . 1 20 COROT We have quoted at g reat length fro m the a e a a se we are in s th bov rticle , not bec u ympa y its n s b ut rather b ecau he with se timent , se t y

' difl er in ton e from almost al l other existing k r r d rs criticism . We would as ou ea e to compare them with the opi n ions of Frederick Wedmo re

n d . . T m r sa a . h fo r s R . A M Stevenson e e ys : A a an a a n ood al n l dsc pe p i ter Corot st o e . Nothi n g could well b e further from the decisive and emphatic gen ius of Cons tab le than this

n o f t an d found its elf in ge ius Coro , which lost n o a r al ff M n the subtlest i tricacies f e i e ect. oo a a n es hness of h light , pl cid su set ; the fr t e n — n the river morni g mists quiveri g over , a n d — the buddi ng o f trees in spri n g these thing s he pai n ted with a sen timent no living artis t ” n has bee n near to rivalli g . n n a n of his b a i . s R . A M . Steve so , spe ki g s of in spiration an d his formation of a spec ial n a on er in style , poi ts out the m rkedly str g ’ dividu ality of C o ro t s developed final mann er a of a a wh ha to th t the Slightly e rlier p inters , o d freed themselves from the bon ds of classic al n a a n traditio . He rem rks th t Crome a d Co n a a a l st ble be r more resembl nce to their mode s , a an d an Hobbem Rubens , th they do to Co rot , although the latter w as a con temporary an d l argely i n fluen ced by the same en viron ment as

122 CORO T

all his r i a r With o ig n lity , Co ot w as n ot a n s r His r a t . e c e tio n stro g revolutioni t in p p , t and a w as not s uffi ci tl hough true delic te , en y profou n d to penetrate to the heart of his s n a r s a s f r ubject . Comy s C r pe k o Co o t as a “ a n and a s that in his w o r lyric p i ter , rem rk k h n is u a s k ex lainin everyt i g subj g ted by the y, p g th at even the water in his pictures onl y serves an d a ras s is l to reflect the skies , th t the g p a e grey an d n ot green ben eath the reflec tion o f s white cloud . M ad ame van Ren sselaer has su mmed up ’ “ C o ro t s aims in these words What h e ’ an a n o t a e s s atisti w ted to repe t were N tur t cs , a n o t i u i u but their sum tot l ; her m n t e , b t th e result she had wrought wi th them ; n o t the elemen ts with which S he had built up a lan d ” a an a . sc pe , but the l dsc pe itself 1 “ To i n sist upon speci al motifs and to a as a an Rou s s crifice the rest w , ccording to Je ’ ” C o rot s a h ther a a . e se u , chief ch r cteristic W , “ ff r e of writes Albert Wol , it be the old b idg Man tes see n through the branches of the b ig a r n trees , which c st their reflection in the t a s a a a d lucent w ters , or the G rd Lake extende as far as c an s ee in h eye the morning light, t e n av a its b ers breeze stirri g the le es long ord , it is the country itself which thi s enchan ter CRITICISM 1 23

' n ho w a n an a k ows to pl ce upo his c v s , the — cou n try in all its moods the roseate dews of n n the n a the mor i g , risi g moisture of the p ro ac hin n o f n n a p g ight ; the sere ity of ture , ” i n r l l n e Corot s the i terpreter pa ex ce e c . In all the variety of opi n io n collected here un der the guise of criticism we are struck by ’ the absence of an y real criticism from C o ro t s f n a compatriots . Most o the Fre ch writers h ve a as a an d a a an d in tre ted Corot poet dre mer , their estim ate of his work h ave either u n der stood to o little o f its qu ality to be able to x a n n a a a e mi e its excelle ces , or h ve fe red to t ke from his ren own as a poet- pai n ter by Showi n g wh at an imme n sity o f study an d careful ex ec u tion wen t to the completion of his slightest ’ C o rot s aim w as a h a sketch . to lly style wit n a an d a n his love of ture , lthough he spe t life in the struggle to prove to others the truths

n w as in en d which he recog ised , he the vic to rio u s u s are . Altho gh ome critics yet to be n w ho to a n n fou d Object his methods of p i ti g , n n n ow n the aim a o e de y nobility of his , or th t he len t poetry an d sentimen t to th at which had n n n a ' s n a n become but co ve tio l compo itio , l cki g a a n d a w as like both life truth . Th t Corot the creator of a n e w art we do not for o n e momen t

w as air. pretend . The movement in the It 124 COROT had been started by Cro me and followed by n a ta u et Cab at R u Co st ble , ken p by Hu , , o s a and f r rot had in n se u , others be o e Co a y degree emancipated himself from the teachings of his early masters ; but although he b u t carried on an art which his con temporaries ad a e er n he b h revived from former g n atio , , y n ued i with the help of his superb ge ius , imb t a n ew an d w as a f e u on the un spirit , ble to orc p w illi n g critics an d public of his day recognition n a re- b odi d r of the eter l beauty of this em e t uth . But perh aps even more than on the s ubject ’ of C o rot s gre atness as an artis t did Opin ions differ on the matter of his pastoral s with their an d a n uestion o nymphs f uns . I deed , the q f figures in rural lan dscape had become a b u rni n g o ne and a da tionall , the rtists of the y inten y emphasised their views either by co nsis ten tly putti n g in or by steadily leaving out the hu man “ a a s a u s b e tru form . C b t used to y, Let e ; N ature will take care to be beautiful ; sh e ” n n n o r n a a eeds either heroes i des . an a ar at Je Rousse u , in describing pictori al t ’ C orot s a a e th the time of birth , s ys th t lik e “ a had dios liter ture of the period , it to be gran e

n . n o n or othing There were rivers , o ly tor n u n re ts ; no ho ses , only Greek temples ; o and peasants , only nymphs shepherds ; n o

CRITICISM 1 25 — famili a r trees n othi n g but cedars an d palms . “ This pseudo - classical school w as careful to place groups of figures in their lan dscapes to — accen tuate the n ote a concession to tradition which w as l argely respon sible fo r the entire absence of figures in the early works of the “ a a a a n tur list school . Chesne u ccuses the earlier pain ters of bei n g govern ed by a terror n at n u of solitude , or of bei g the best entirely n — n n n a co scious reprehe sibly u co scious , he c lls it— of i n ts en n obli g effect upo n the soul . The ” “ a a an a a figure , he s ys , th t the l dsc pe p inter of - da a S a to y omits is repl ced by the pect tor , n an d a n in an a who , livi g bre thi g the l dsc pe , commu n icates to the scen e the human i n terest ” most desired by himself. With the old school the figure w as para n a r a a a an a mou t . They cre ted o d pted l dsc pe only to form a backgrou n d to the heroic figures a n ew w o r they desired to p int . The school shipped na t u re as ex emplified outside the a a a hum n form . They deliber tely selected site from which they could e x clude all hum an e in n an an d interest . Thor , writi g of Titi “ a : w as n ot a Correggio , rem rks It everyd y — Italy that they pai n ted there it w as an im agi n a ry and apocryph al Greece ; while the n oble

n f n in n Poussi , ollowi g their footsteps , inve ted 1 26 COROT

E an a la s a es at gypti , Indi n , Atheni an nd c p ” n s of w ork Rome . Describi g further the tyle a a a s chool executed by p inters of the cl ssic l , e a a a of a 0 u lar Thor proceeds to c t logue th t , p p ’ a n n D c k s s p i ter of V a y time . He give a n a e of the p i tings , of which bout wer a ces or heroic type , or were portr its of prin “ man as man a h ore heroes . But , s ys T , “ he w as not there at all ; he had yet to b e i n vented as al an tw ee n Corot , it were , held the b ce be n his e arl these two extremes . Trai ed by y m asters to a great respect for the c las sical a a a al h tr dition , dr wn by inclin tion to the rur , e w as able in a large measure to profit by b oth a a a a w as n o views . The be uty of l ndsc pe by means impaired in his eyes by the figure of a a a its n of a i l pe s nt in midst i deed , being k nd y n a a n an s ture with disti ct desire for comp ion hip , n u s he preferred the i troduction of the fig re , n a a without which he ofte s id , no pl ce appeared

a a . His o f h bit ble figures , whether that a a at a a a fisherm n the Side of pool , or of pe sant ” n n an a n a strolli g dow ve ue , s ys Albert Wo lff, are never thrown h aph az ard into the picture ;o they serve to mark the un ion of the country

with that which lives in her . With this a ’ opinion Rousseau is in ccord . C o ro t s

128 COROT so lightly clad because they n ever catc h cold ? These damp an d muddy places may be s uitab le for c a t a a s re ou t of l t le , but the n i de a p ac e at ” a T lant a m hol the edge of pool . o p yt ogical Scen e in a wood in France appears to Men ard a contradiction wi th which he is n ot in s ym ’ a is a fac t that Co r p thy , but indeed it o t s imagi n ation is n ot of the o rder that delights in n n d r s Corot w altogether ymphs a d yad . , ho c an i n vest the commonest landscape with r an has asto al feelin om ce , not the true p r g . He presen ts us with a woodland scene s uch as the most pros aic person sees as he pas se s through the woods in the s eas on when the wild- flo wers are blossomi n g in the un der a s growth . The ddition to thi scen e of a — group of pastoral fig u res b e they as en tran cing an d graceful as Co rot may succeed — in m aki n g them yet fails to convert the p ain t in n a a ai and a ain in th g i to p storal . Ag n g , e atmosphere with which he has su rrou nded a n s fa i i them , mo g their grassy glade d ng nto ’ a a - an at u s m f iry like blue dist ce , does W tea os t pronou n ced assemblage of courtiers and fin e ladies form a far more complete and s atisfying pastoral than an ything w hich left the hands it w of Corot . Indeed , is only in hat we may term his domestic type of landscape that

C H A PTE R V I I I

METHO DS O F PAINTING

’ — The secret of Corot s genius Actual methods described — — by Philippe Burty Tone n umbers Several distinct — — methods Form more important than detail George — — M oore and Corot Recogn ition ofvalues Makes his own — laws and abides b y them All great gen i us prolific — H istoric lan dscape Poussi n Claude Lorrain The i — “I " ckampftn Crome Constable Bon ington! . — ’ Corot not di rectly i n fluenced by Constable N ature s — — mobility Corot essentially a dreamer No conscious — a n r sms methods No m n e i .

as ma sa a h O ROT , one y y, p inted wit ” w as th Wings on his shoulders . This e o n e of ari verdict of his contempor es , Jules e an a of a Dupr , himself rtist strong individu lity , who rose to fame in a much shorter time than the frien d he extolled . s are at a a E u Critic loss , s ys dmond Abo t , “ r his O n e to discove the secret of genius . sees well th at his pictures are flooded with to a a r ? light , yet how does he contrive p int i His water is of an i n to xicating limpidity ; but live ten years in his studio an d on e would n ot 1 30 METHODS OF PA INTING 1 3 1

ar His are le n to imitate it . trees without n an d how can co tour without colour , but they ? n a be He does not k ow himself. He s ys to ‘ ’ a a . a himself, I will p int sunset He t kes his an d a in brushes his p lette , he sketches trees an d a an d is n ot n w ter people , but he thinki g

a n n s u n of them , he is dre mi g of his setti g . an d The work finished exhibited , you , too ,

n n a n o r otice either the people , the w ter , the r a a a s u n t ees , you only excl im , Wh t lovely s et !

’ C o ro t s own answer to the above remarks “ m ay be fou n d in the followi n g words Is fo r u s a it possible to reproduce the sky , w ter , a tree ? No ; it is only possible to give the

a a an s o n n a ppe r ce of doi g . We must e de vour ) n to give the impression of moveme t , though

a a I a n this be lmost int ngible . Suppose p i t a I an n wheel , the spokes of which c ot dis

tin uis h I a are n n g ; must show th t they tur i g . ff a e With the sky it is di erent , th t is still , de p , — o r mobile full of vibratio n s which arrest the

e An d ff ? ! n o ey . the e ect Oh that is t very ” e asy to attain ! Of his actual methods of pai n ti n g we have

n in n little evide ce . Philippe Burty , his i tro duc to ry note to the Catalogue of the Pos thum o u s a a a n n S le , repe ts descriptio give him by 13 2 COROT

’ f r He was in the ab it one o C o ot s pupils . h of using canvases which were fas tened on in ed keyed stretchers not very tightly stra . He was careful to avoid any suc h covering as w r f its re arat on ould , from the natu e o p p i , s a n The can as cau e the p i ting to c rack . v s a n able wa always of the best quality ob t i , s a his o metimes lightly tinted . Corot l id in - ra b la an d ground work with w umber , ck raw and r sien n a white , heightened by bu nt an d an of the good ochres , but never used y n He bitume so much in vogue at that time . c l sketched in his subject with white h a k , and with such precision that he rarely found occa s a e at all H u s an ar ion to lt r it . e ed ordin y a s et s o urs p lette , which he out with trong c lo , t and a er but wi hout much system or c are , r th a an d l rge very strong brushes . A pupil explai n ed that his method of work in w as l li and he the studio pure y by tona ty , certai nly appe ars to have laid the plans of his f pictures on these lines . For the conve nience o ' t n eflec ts o n a r at a time no i g when journey , o n a i in whe it would h ve been mposs ible to pa t , Corot devised a system of nu mberi ng from on e f u e r u to our . Thus the n mb one on a ro gh c n d th e sha o u er sket h de ote deepest d w , n mb f the and the tw ia our highest light , o intermed te

13 4 COROT — smudged textu re all these things had to b e co n sidered an d practised before the finest ” “ h C o rots were produced . The principles e established were chiefly th at light mu st b e preferred before loc al colour ; the growth o f a stem before the m arkings o n its bark ; tha t modelli ng must be held of greater importance th an leaf drawi n g th at you must ever observe the ge n era l aspects th at nature wears at variou s ” n distances from yo u r foregrou d . a a l Corot himself told A . M rx how in the e r y days of his painti ng from n ature he walked o n e ac a miles over picture , just going b kw rd s a few paces from his easel to see the effect o f a and a a n a a a e ch touch dv nci g g in to lter it . George Moore recounts an occasion upon whic h he came upo n Corot painti n g in the Forest of a a a a Fontainebleau . He ppro ched the m ster nd n o n at hi stood awhile looki g s work . Corot n an d a a him tur ed sked him how it ple sed . e a a b u t a the Moore expr ssed his dmir tion , sked artist from wh at poi n t in the landscape this w as a n as s picture t ke , he could not ee at all a where it c me from . Corot pointed to a distance of some couple of hun dred yards w as n which the foregrou d of his sketch . ’ Moore attributes all the beauty of C o ro t s c a work to his complete re ognition of v lues . METHODS OF PA INTING 1 3 5 He avers that the relation s of the half- tint to n a a a n V the highest light eed , in p inting, ex min tio o n two poi n ts ; th at of the relative amou n t of colouri n g m atter as well as the proportion of an d a c an a light sh de . No colour be s id to a a be in itself either f lse or true , ugly or be uti ” a a ful , he rem rks but only in its rel tion to its n n a an d in surrou di gs is it to be ppraised , it is his complete recogn ition and comprehension of ’ these matters that C o rot s genius tri umphs . All these theories a re intere sting enou gh an d as probably correct up to a certain point , but there is actually n o guarantee th at an y on e of ’ a C o rot s o w n ma them is b sed upon words , we y co n clude th at they are the result of the observa of a n a a of has tion v rious i dividu ls , e ch whom ’ used his opportu n ity to study C o rot s work and form his own con clusion s as to the method f r n n a employed o its completio . U fortun tely non e of us c an n o w enjoy the privilege which to lo t o f a fell the of some these critics , th t of n a at seei g the m ster work , but we would recommen d an y stude n t of lan dscape pai n ting to examine the finished work in the light of as these descriptions , study them his pre dec ess o rs a an d n a h ve done , the , if he be ble , ’ evolve a theory of C o ro t s bru shwork for his o w n a a a use . We recollect signific nt rem rk 13 6 COROT oo f o n e of the most famous art critics o f ’ “ ” Co rot s da is a c o b le h y. It sc r ely p ssi , e a an n n of a la a s id , st di g in fro t a cert in ndsc pe , “ to decide whether Corot p aints with his ” hands or with his feet ! From the above criticisms it would seem the n that the conclusion to be drawn is that Co rot had — — not as s o many pai n ters have any s peci al lin e of action ; he s aw the en d an d he made di rec t fo r a o r ff to o u h it , reg rdless of, indi erent , the r te ; e a a a his al for knew well th t he would tt in go , he w as w ell u p rep ared to meet any and every f a w a N on l di ficulty th t the y might present . ot y — did he possess i n spiration th at alone c ould — have been submerged but he possessed al s o ' a r mean s Hi ar had i a v m ste y n . s t r sen bo e the need for regular methods ; he had stu di ed an d worked until his fingers were able to respond mechan ically to the dictum of his a n an d a n a the br i , sooner or l ter he k ew th t can vas would live with the life of that nature n which it represe ted . Corot w as always eager to record any im had a u a pression which p rtic l rly struck him , an d in order to pl ace the impression in the w as a of right surroundings , he in the h bit adapting one of his existing sketches to the a l u s new ide . Dumesnil te ls how he would

138 COROT

a a are n the r d tr ck , soon discover th t they o oa a e them which le ds to destruction , while befor lie con cealed glories to which they need b u t a w a fin d nd to force y to a possess them . a a o n a a a m c h In tre tise l ndsc pe p inting, u quoted at the begin n ing of the n ineteenth cen De e rthes s c and tury, J . B . p described Hi tori L scape as the art o f gatheri n g together in o n e composition all th at nature can prod uce of nobility an d beauty ; of introduci n g s uch figu res an d personages as create by their action an a o r to a ri ed ide l , serve illustr te some histo c de calculated to impress the spectator with the “ n . a s o n highest sentime ts To chieve thi , e o l a a on must be possessed f a ively im gin ti , a ” a and a . In pure t ste , the habit of medit tion a a en t of this tre tise , the h ndbook of the stud la a of da De e rthes l s ndsc pe the y, p , whi e in ist n n s the ing upon the sou dest tuitio , recommend n a a all o stude t to study of N ture in her mo ds . a are r ed Impressions thus g ined to be reco d , at n on the not the mome t , but the return to s a and tudio , there enriched by the im gination , formed into a picture in accordance with the traditions h anded down by Poussin and Cl aude a n is a Lorr i . These two masters , it s id , u s s ll and bro ght to their studios tones , he s , a f n of moss , in order , by aithful reproductio

13 8 COROT

a a ar n ad tr ck , soon discover th t they e o the ro a n which le ds to destructio , while before them lie con cealed glories to which they need but a w a and to force y to find possess them . a a on a a a n n c I n tre tise l ndsc pe p i ti g , mu h quoted at the begin n ing of the n ineteenth cen De h a . e rt e s tury, J B . p described Historic L nd scape as the a rt of gatherin g together in on e composition all th at nature can produce of nobility an d beau ty ; of i n troduci n g such figu re s and person ages as create by their action an a o r to u a ed ide l , serve ill str te some historic de calcul ated to impress the spectator with the “ s n n . a one highe t se time ts To chieve this , of a a a a must be possessed lively im gin tion , ” a and a f a In pure t ste , the h bit o medit tion . a a this tre tise , the h ndbook of the student of a a o f da De erthes n s l ndsc pe the y, p , while i ist in n n the g upo the soundest tuitio , recommends n a a all o stude t to study of N ture in her mo ds . a are r e Impressions thus g ined to be reco d d , at n o n the not the mome t , but the return to a and studio , there enriched by the im gination , formed into a picture in accordan ce with the traditions h an ded down by Poussin an d Claude

a n . a Lorr i These two masters , it is s id , an d brought to their studios stones , shells , a a n moss , in order , by f ithful reproductio of METHODS OF PAINTING 13 9

u ae to a a of a these min ti , give sembl nce re lity “ n s o- a st l e to their compositio s . For the c lled y ” c hampétre Depe rthes had n othing but co n “ ” a a a tempt . It is th t , he s id , which retr ces with exactitu de the faithful picture of a sce n e all a an d a a in its det ils , fixes on the c nv s , line fo r n a an a n s k li e , l dsc pe with the portio of y which domi n ates it an d the actual light which illu mi n es it at the precise moment when the ” n artist is occupied with its reproductio . Criticism b f a somewhat simila r ki n d might well be offered to some of the l andscape a of to -da hO e n a p inters y, in the p of e bling them to see ho w lifeless a picture of n ature of a is the result such methods . Bene th the lovi n g study an d faithful reproduction of n ature ’ to u n in C o rot s a be fo d , it is true , work , re l n an a light illumi es , the sky glows , the l dsc pe a n a d quivers with the life th t quicke s it , n N ature reveals herself in fresh beau ty to him w h o to fo r a n goes direct her inspir tio . But the teachers of that day ign ored this an d a n n n n a truth , V le cien es co sidered ture sketchi n g in the open-air to be a useless waste o f time . But the new school of landscape - pai n ti n g ”

a a . and a grew p ce Poussin his school , s ys “ had a an d Dumes nil , been imit ted copied until c a led la a s a l o c ei ed an d pictures l ndsc pe , b d y c n v c d s n a r ab o ut a worse exe ute , re embled tu e s much as do the toy trees an d w oods whic h are a a i lread given to children s pl yth ngs . A y in E n gl and the elder Crome had begun to return to the natural style in vogue in the an d u a e da Dutch Flemish pict res of bygon y. Con stable and Bonington quickly rec ognised

his an d . a Bon wisdom , followed him Alre dy ington an d Fielding had begu n to show in their water-colours the lu minous qualities of their had u h melancholy skies . They beg n to s ow n a l i th at the orth possessed be uties equa to , f ff n a u h di eri g in qu lity from , those of the so t , an d that to become a landscape painter of merit it w as not s o requ isite to go to Italy fo r inspiration as it w as to discover the beau n a an d l a n ho w ties lyi g round one , then to e r to place those beauties o n can vas withou t the “ ” n aid of compositio . Although the first picture which Corot sent to the S alon ( 1 8 2 7) chan ced to be hung between a n a an d a n n w as Co st ble Bo ingto , he by no a n me ns the French pio eer of the movement . e a n a a all a Dupr , Huet , D ubig y , C b t , were live an d a n a to its truth , working lo g the s me lines when Corot dec ided th at this w as the right a soo a f s path . Th t he n dist nced these riend

a s o a t a s hem represent tions vibr nt , h t lend t a a their ch rm . R . A . M . Stevenson m intains th at he has taught us that tru ths will as s u m e o n our canvases j u st the proportion of impo rt ance which we have accorded them in ou r

a are s ea n s observ tion of nature . If we a r e t i n a a as e s ial observ tion of the trivi l of the s ent , we shall i n fallibly overstate the small and l et ” u a ex the large go nexpressed . Del croix , in c e din n a da e g co tempt of the te ching of the y, “ e xcl aims : This beauty in which they s ee n othi ng but the h armo n y an d proportion b e tween two lines I s ee an exquisite lan d scape ; n an a a to em ot ide of line comes me . To th all is chaos which cannot be defi n ed by th e ” a comp ss . a a a a Yet if we comp re Corot with l ter m ste r , “ ” s a a n a oin s w y with B stie Lep ge in Les F , e realise how difli c ult a m atter it is to free

n n a i o eself e tirely from old tr dition . Corot s n earer in spirit to the old classicist aiming at depicti ng only the noble an d heroic th an he is to the naked exposure of brutal truths under

n a is n take by Lep ge . Corot esse tially a

a s ee dre mer . He did not the hopelessness of — th at ph ase of life should we rather s ay exist — e n ce P which Lepage wrote s o clearly upon METHODS OF PAINTING 1 4-3

i s a h s a . the f ces of l bourers When , a in some o f his a a a pictures , pig str ys cross one of ’ C orot s a a a has its c nv ses , we feel th t it lost w a and is a y, there only by ccident ; the more are s ee and poetic forms those we look to , when a a we find sheep or cows gr zing in his me dows , we realise th at that is as it should be and all

a n as at is in h rmony . Comi g he did the momen t when landscape painters had begun to revolt against composition as a chief factor in ra art in their b nch of , Corot imbibed both — fl uences that of the ha rmonious an d classic past with the n ew movemen t towa rds a faithful renderin g of N ature as she is ; he arrived at

’ ’ u s te m zl zeu n the j , which combi ed the best of an d a both periods , which pl ced him in the

ra a a a n r front nk of l ndsc pe p i te s .

d n Corot ha no co scious methods . He felt

as an a a as a a an d ide list , he p inted re list, the former quality s aved him from an all too dreary view of the n ature he studied in all its aspects an d his true presentment of the landscape b e fore him as his eyes s aw it gave the strength an d convi n cin g qu ality which his predecessors ’ had a C o rot s art a a all . l cked . spe ks like to ha n o an La n en evois He s m nerisms . De g s aid of him very justly that his chief character 1 44 COROT is tic is an a n a i d m h I bse ce of ppl e et od . t is a h true . Corot vie wed n ture wit the eye of a an d a h s m l s m rom nce , dopted t e i p e t eans of his a h can as hat a conveying me ning to t e v . T great art lies concealed under this simplicity is a a a ean ous seau f ct th t none will question . J R said th at to capture nature alive on the ” ’ wi n g w as C o rot s mission ; and to fu lfil this

n s a a n eces si missio , of which he w a well w re , tated constan t observation an d ceaseless study an d his a His a n s are end he chieved . p inti g always fresh with the freshness of e ternal a c a e r youth , the youth of Art th t n nev r g ow old because of the spring of Life which it is a a a lw ys gener ting . w as N o Corot eminently a lover of nature . spot but is bea utiful in his sight ; the most commonplace landscape springs into beau ty

n a u der the loving touch of the m as ter h nd . J ust as a scene otherwise gloomy and dull is transformed by the sunlight into a thing of a a a be uty , so group of sordid cottages ,

a a a a a ant l bourer tr mping dusty road , st gn

a a are a s pond in t ngle of undergrowth , tr n ’ formed by this poet- painter s hand into an a a o and a Ev Arc di n w rld of rest pe ce . ery c a e a a a s ott g becomes h ven , every l bourer see

METHODS OF PAINTING 1 45 the welcome awaiting him in the home to which he is wending his w ay ; every pool is the trysting-place of the nymphs and shep herds whose figures flit so frequently through the dusky glades of those deep woods which

Corot loved to paint . C H A PT E R I !

FR ESCO E S AND DECO R ATIV E ‘VORK

’ — Corot s spec i al gi fts for the work What frescoes shoul d be

— - — M any of his wall pai ntings not true frescoes F our ’ — frescoes in Ville d Avray Ch urch Their reproduction ’ ’ — Pri nce l aul Demidofl s H otel Panels for Décampe — — Fresc oes purchased by Sir Frederic Leighton Coro t ' ’ ra — and Fleury M . Gi nd s screen Madame Corot s — — b i rthday The pai n ti ngs in the summer-house Pan e ls ’ ’ - — at Daubi n s ouse . Ro ert s ath room M g y h M b b . ’ — — Rob aut s criticisms Mi n or decorative work Design for ’ - a — M R dr u a tte a estr o s e . t p y p nel . ig e p l

OROT on ce e x pressed regret that he s o rarely received a commission for decora ha tive work in fresco . He believed t t h e a a s n d possessed speci l gift for work of thi ki , an d it must be allowed th at there w as ju stifica n his as n a ab tio for belief. He w certai ly inc p l e a n an o n e of f lli g into the error , not uncommon , as in a a n n he points out , decor tive p i ti gs , o f representi n g foli age which looks as though it had been cut out of metal ; the on ly light a had n a shining upon it , th t which pe etr ted in blotches through the windows of the studio x46

n n f M . Roba t to th a k o r the fac t that fo ur replicas of these fine works we re made at a a a o l es s M R b l ter d te by Corot . D ubt . o a n t foresa w the fate that would in evitably overta ke n a us a th e the origi ls , but he tells th t e p l a he used to urge their reproduc tion w as that the size an d s h ape of the church walls had n ot ‘ bee n s u flicien tly taken into cons ideration when a n n a the res ult th the p i ti gs were m de , with at many of their bea uties we re en ti re ly hidden s a a s had e from the pect tor , whilst some p rt ven the appearance o f bei n g o u t of drawing and n proportio . a n ar l i The four p i tings , which e al n th e a are a an d E e a f tr nsept , Ad m v ch sed rom ” ” a a a a at a a tis P r dise , M gd len Pr yer , B p m ” d “ i o . an n f C hrist by St John , Christ th e ” Rob au Ga rden of Olives . M . t gives the followi n g des cription of these frescoes : a an d E ve a a a s e Ad m ch sed from P r di . The angel with the flaming sword appears a an d from thicket , with a m ajestic gestu re a a t comm nds the dep r ure of the culprits . a c The B ptism of Christ . Nothing an ex c eed the grace of the gene ral outline of this a an d a are the a landsc pe , the tr nsp ncy of w te r a i s a e ru fll ed of the l ke , t surf c lightly by a a s ome a s passing bo t , conveying p ssenger . FRE SCOE S 1 49 This composition differs entirely from the one a in a on the s me subject the church of St . Nichol s du a n in a a n a Ch rdo net P ris , lthough the ce tr l figures in each bear some slight resemblan ce ’ one to a n other ; those in the Ville d Av ray are less academic an d proportion ately more a be utiful . in a Christ the G rden of Olives . The night ff n a n a n n e ect , stro gly cce tu ted , bri gs i to relief the h alo arou n d the head o f Christ this at the l an a a first g ce renders the figure somewh t he vy , yet m akes it on ly the more human in its aban do n men t a as as r . The ttitude , well the colou in of a ho n n a c a g , the ngel , w is prese ti g h lice , con veys an i n fi n ite te n dern ess in an atmosphere n in e veloped mystery . The picture of the M agd alen is dismiss ed

a a n with comment upon the be utiful moveme t ,

n a n d fin e n of an noble expressio , co tour the l d a sc pe . From a story which we h ave told elsewhere we learn th at although Corot deprecated the small amou n t of work put i n to a certain picture

a n fo r a a n w as a p i ted p tro , he r ther disposed to consider amon gst his best works those which

a as a an c me , it were , with the gre ter spont eity . It is certain th at some of his frescoes were a n in an a n p i ted lmost i credibly short time , I 50 CORO T an d it is possible th at this fac t may have en ’ n a a is t s own es ima i ha ced the v lue in the rt t t on .

' In the ve ar 1 86 5 Prince Paul De mido fi e n “ ” tru s ted the completion of an ho tel fo r his

n a a n in a the c ever archit c ow h bit tio P ris to l e t , a u eman decid d Alfred Feyde . This gentl e to m f He h h ave so e o the walls frescoed . t ere n ouss eau n d fore commissio ed Corot , Millet , R , a

m n in to a ac n two w F ro e t m ke designs , pl i g all s

s n o f o hom too at the di positio Corot , fr m w , , he appears to h ave requested a more immediate executio n o f the order th an he did from th e a had at that ti other rtists employed . Corot me n o studio which he con sidered s uitable fo r th e

x n f a n e ecutio o s o large an undert ki g. He ia a in a of his frie st lled himself, therefore , th t n d

C o maires at o n tain eb leau . , F “ The subjects of the pan els are Morn ing ” and E n n an d e oc ve i g , three months w re on n pied in their completio . Although this appears an a a as im to be lmost impossible fe t to t e, it w as slow work compared with that aecom lis hed e a r p for D c mps , in whose studio Co o t pai n ted four panels representi n g four differen t

a da . a hours of y These , it is s id , were begu n and in n finished o e week . The extra time ex a ma pended upon the frescoes for Prince P ul y . have been parti ally occupied in alterations o f

FRESCOES 1 51

a a a the origin l design , for there exist t le st three sketches an d a photograph of one of the an a n a n n a ff p els , e ch co t i i g some initi l di erence o n e a a n from the ctu lly delivered to Pri ce P aul . is of a a M . Georges Petit the possessor c nvas a n a 1 8 68 a a be ri g the d te , which is indeed replic

a n a n an of the s me work , but co t i s slight ch ges in the attitude of the origi n al figures an d the

a n f f a dditio o the figure o cupid . The works which the other artists furn ished ' “ fo r Prince P au l De midofl were a Sunset ” an d a n Da a Spri g y, by Rousse u two forest scen es by Dupre; and a Di an a at the Bath

an d n h n in Sce e wit Ce taurs by Fromen t . The four decorative pan els alluded to above as painted fo r Decamps are semi -classical l an d a s are n a for an d sc pes . The e ot ble the light graceful treatmen t s o pa rticularly appropriate to

f rt an a an o a . this br ch Of the four l dsc pes , two c on tai n water an d tw o are without ; but they are all a a n n n of ff m rked by oble disti ctio e ect . At the death of Decamps in 1 86 0 the four frescoes were purch ased by Sir Frederic ! n w as a a a Leighto , who gre t dmirer of the

r a x a e F ench m ster . Corot e ercised this f vourit mode of pai n ti n g in favour of many of his

At his death th ey pa s s ed i n to the po s s es s ion of Lord Wa n ta e g . 1 5 2 CO RGI

’ fri ds n H e n n s ho use at Ma n —lw en . A: Le o g y Harz eau x he pain ted fo ur scenes on four w alls of o n e ro om . It w as w it h t h s frie n d o ne of his earliest i . an d m s t n timate th at in th e studen t da s o i . y t w ked co n s ta ntl v an d he considered Coro or , their s tyles to res e mble ea ch o ther so nearly as t o make it almos t impos sib le to distinguis h o n e t h e O n the b ack of a certain can from e oth r .

' s w r e : “ e do n o k now Fle ur va Coro t 0t t , y ” a n d wh u s ec ted this stud . But I , ich of ex u y Fleury held an other estimate of their res pective val art an d a a la d he wro e ues in , t ter ate t

' “ e marched together as far as life and wo rk w are the on l one w ho ere concerned , but vou y a e u s la ked the where re lly rose , for the r st of c ” a with l . There is an amusi n g story told of a sc reen which w as to be pres en ted by Arman d Lel eu x -in -law f . a to his ather , M Giraud . I t ppe ars t a a l hat M . Gir ud possessed very arge drawing w as n a a d b room , which u comfort bly perv de y

- draughts . In order to protect his father in law Leleux ordered a carpenter to make a large ix -f s old screen , stretched with canvas for paint

in . a a z d g Upon the rriv l of the screen , sei e with alarm apparently a t the amount of labou r he n s o a a a t coveri g of much c nv s would ent il ,

1 54 COROT f is e r w as t oreground occupi d by a ocky e , par tially covered by low bushes ; and a slope on is a fine ou of rees the right crowned with gr p t . The landscape is surrounded by a trellis over n in r nd and th r grow with vines bloom , ou ough ds are flit in the interstices of which some bir t g . The cen tre bears on a s tone the date an d a 1 8 sides i sign ture Corot , 53 on the n smaller letters are the n ames of Daubigny and u Arma d Leleux . Let us hope tha t the three arti sts were rewarded for their i n dustry by some fin e a n see how the s u we ther , i deed , we do not n could possibly have con tinued to su lk and hide itself in face of the subtle flattery and cajolery conveyed in the subjects of the paintings on n the scree . In 1 8 49 Corot decided to surprise his mother on her birthday by painting the walls of a summer- house in the garden of their villa at ’ d A ra . e al vie V ille v y He s lected only loc ws , nd an as bou r a Rob t , who describes them g eoi s, sa ys they lack the distinction common to ’ the artist s work . The most interesting of the s ix is undoubtedly one in which he repro duced the summer-house itself an d introduced a n d a his a his own portr it a portr its of f mily . In the picture his father is s tandi n g quite in DECORATIVE WORK 1 5 5

n -in -law a a n the foregrou d , his brother ppro chi g an d are an n to meet him , his mother sister le i g upon the raili n g o f a little bridge in the back n an d a w a grou d , the rtist himself is on his y to ’ a n at C o rot s the house with portfolio . Whe , ’ a o f d Avra w as de th , the property Ville y sold , the purch aser had these frescoes removed with the utmost c are . ’ At Dau b ig n y s house Corot also pai n ted a an a had n a n sever l p els . D umier , who u dert ke

n had a a n the first o es , p ssio for the story of

an d Don Quixote , he selected for the subject of his picture a sce n e from the life of his favourite

n c o n hero , with his horse . Seei g this , Corot tin u ed an a n n n in with other illustr tio , i troduci g addition to the figures of Do n Qui x ote a n d n an a Rosi te th at o f S an cho P an z as well . Corot us ed to spe n d many holidays at the n ld a a n a o n . house of f mily frie d , Mme Osmo d , who in a n resided the neighbourhood of M tes , t n a a the little vill age of Ros y . This vill ge

’ ’ in an C o ro s a n in an d in figured m y of t p i t gs , one at least he reproduced its chief object of n n a a a a i terest , the rui s of sm ll ch te u , which had n bee the birthplace of the great Sully . ’ O n e n a of Mme . Osmo d s neighbours , cer

a . w as a n . t in M Robert , ephew of hers With this gentleman Corot soon stood in the close 1 56 COROT

’ d a at M. R obert s bonds of frie n s hip . C lling house one day when the gen tleman happen ed a f m o e o rot fou nd the to be bsent ro h m , C house in the po ss ess ion of painters an d de c o ra to rs w ho w ere just abo ut to deal with the

a - as a ma ter of fact b th room . Corot , who , t , w as n had a a without his idli g , ctu lly gone out

a n n a his a s tinc ts were p i ti g ge r . But rtistic in

a e of the alw ys to the fore . Whether the sm ll

a n n the n e wl p i t i spired him , or the sight of y

n fl r a a w e do n clea ed at su f ces overc me him , o t

n l rs ain k ow ; but he seized upon the co ou , p t an d a ur ed o u t pots , brushes th t were there , t n “ ” his a as a and b e an colle gues , he c lled them , g The a - roo Operation s with his own h and . b th m w as small an d of very irreg ular sh ape . Thes e

a a n ot in a affec oro t dr wb cks did the le st t C .

a a an d s et work He me sured the surf ces to . Robert had a predilection for Itali an scenery ; of such should be the pictures which were to

n o n a - a spri g to life the b th room w lls . A vie w called by courtesy the Gulf of Gen oa oc cu pied

a a . ac the l rgest sp ce This view might , in f t , a an a a h ve borne y other title with equ l ver city. It is a composed landscape ; trees an d rocks n fill the foreground , disclosi g in the middle distan ce between their trunks a castle on some l 5 8 COROT

e s nd th ri -ha d side a la r r or l e w here a e ght n , g e s a e s a e us m s e of the c u o la p c , hows d licio g li p p ’ P t an d th C as tle of St . of S t . eter s a Rome e \n s the fo a e of s ome li ht gelo , een through li g g t e e s o n n h r the ba ks of t e Tiber . M an w h i doub tles s th . o s e Alfred Rob t , greates t authority upon the decorative work of the a n a old him h m ster , mentio s th t Corot t e h ad at o n e time painted mural decoratio n in the C afe de Fleurus in Paris ; n o traces of

s a re n o r ossib le to the e left , does it seem p a n hi in Pari discover y other of s frescoes s , a a a ai se r lthough he pp e rs to have p nted ve al . It s eems that from time to time Co rot amus ed him s elf with the decoration of smalle r articles

a n a a n d and s om e he p i ted some pl tes dishes ,

and n n en of a boxes , eve prese ted to the childr

n n he h frie d some little brooches , upo which ad n D l r a n a . u v l e o pai nted ti y la dsc pes M . e y g ve him commission s o n various occasions to a n a fan an d u b p i t , these were duly exec ted y m nd hi a disposed of. a i Of the rem inder of his frescoes , two exist n

n n e the house of a M . C as tag et at Mo tlh ry ; are in a e e three the C stle of Gruy res , n ar lla n a a at . Ba ud Ge ev , p inted the request of M ; an d o n e a n n - dorns the di i g room of M . a Chemou illet at Sevres . A very be utiful

DECORATIVE WORK 1 59

a an n a fo r decor tive p el , u e rthed the Posthumous

Ex n had n n C hibitio , bee desig ed to be opied in

a a an a . w as t pestry at the roy l m uf ctory It ,

u an d however , never used for this p rpose , the origi n al n ow forms o n e o f the chief ornamen ts

a n a at e w as of the porcel i f ctory S vres , where it

n a a fi lly pl ced . Before closi n g the list of wh at we may call ’ C o rot s an an n a n miscell eous works , we c ot refr i from addi n g an attractive accoun t of the pai n t in g of a certai n palette which w as amon g s the most valued possession s of M . George

in 1 8 Rodrigues 73 .

a n a a M . Rodrigues , disti guished m teur ’ a a a n C o ro t s of rtist , gre tly dmiri g picture

an an d a D te Virgil , requested the m ster to

a m ake him a replica o n a greatly reduced sc le .

n n to an d a This Corot co se ted do , decided th t ’ he would work at M . Rodrigues house . The a C n n a sm ll opy bei g completed , Corot oticed th t he had i n adverte n tly left his palette attached

a a to n like se l the cor er of the picture . The sight gave him the idea of pai n ti n g upon the

a n as p lette some sce e to complete , it were ,

n w as n a to the tra n sactio . But he u ble decide n an upo a suitable subject . He w ted some n a a thi g humorous yet ppropri te , which would suggest the original painting left s o lo ng to a e his s all p per one corn r of tudio w . After due consideration he resolve d to imagi n e an en tire revulsion of the feelin g of i n differen ce with which the Dante had bee n 1 8 and a s sin received in 59 , to depict crowd p re g so closely arou n d an e asel which held his chef ’ d oeuvre th at a whole posse of police had to n anc be c alled upo to keep order . To enh e the impression Corot then pai n ted hims elf u pon the back of the palette reclining on cushions and n a n a u k smoki g lo g pipe . This is T r that I ” a a n a e h ve p i ted , he s id doubtfully wh n the w as n u k figure fi ished ; not very m ch li e me , an d very preten tious I will do it over ag ai n ’ an d o n the space occupied by the artist s thu mb w hile p ai n ti n g he drew himself in profile in the act of sketchi n g . At the top of this charming “ production he wrote a dedication : To my ”

n . n a n frie d , G Rodrigues , with the me a d a d te , Corot ,

W. Bat ers the. A . C oats E s . S cot and h , ( , q , l . U n i versa Ex t o n 1 8 r l hibi i , 89, Pa is . ) '

Befl ro i de Doua . n versa Ex t on 1 8 8 Pa ris i ( U i l hibi i , 7 , . )

Ben t ree the. A ex . oun E s . B a h th T , ( l Y g , q , l ck ea . ) Be r e r ouan t avec un e vr g j c he e . ' B s . Ex ted after Co rot s deat at the Sa o n ibli ( hibi h l ,

B rc ree i h T s . Bo tman on the a e N emi a L k . ’

Bo rds du ra n d La c a e d Avra . Rouen Muse um g Vill y ( . ) ’ u t d b r l . Bou q e Ar es , e

Brea k of Day. t n te Bridg e a Ma s .

Brook , the .

Bro o the in the a e . k , , V ll y

he ron s l e . Sa on Bfic , s ( l ,

ne o ssec etc n Ca mpag b i ( hi g ) .

m a n e de o me en ve r. C a p g R , hi m C ampag n e de Ro e .

t u e n t n . saac C ook E s . St. ou s . S . A. Can a l de S . Q i (I , q , L i , U )

r Pond Fo n tain ebleau . . S . Fo r es Es . Ca p , (J b , q ,

Lo ndon . )

d rn le s . C a s cades e Te i ,

d lfo ouvre . C as te l Gon o . ( L )

o f St. An e o Rome . n ve rsa Ex t on Castle g l , ( U i l hibi i ,

1 8 Par s . 8 9, i ) d rtr C athédrale e Cha es .

ava er le. C li , t n t un Cavalier e an e epee.

C e rvara , la, Rome. n t C ha illy. ar tt l n versa Ex t o n o f 1 88 Paris C h e e, a. (U i l hibi i 9, . ) t u d u -la- o ande C ha ea e Ba me R l . 1 3 L P CT U E ETC . 6 IST OF I R S,

Chatea u de Fon ta in eb lea u .

atea u de e rr . H . S . H e n r E s . P ade a . Ch Thi y ( y , q , hil lphi ) vi Chatea u de Wag n o u ll e . ’ i u r C ha u m ére s a u bo rd d n M a a i s .

e m n c reu x a ve c u n c ava e r. n ve rs a x it o n Ch i li (U i l E hib i ,

1 88 Pa r s . 9, i )

em n mo n ta n t le . n ve rsa x t on 1 88 Pa r s . Ch i , ( U i l E hibi i , 9, i ) '

eva s e a n a n t e d Avra . Ch l , b ig Vill y

evr e r u n . e u se u m . Ch i , (Lill M )

C he vréire la I ta e . , , li

evr e rs G o fe de N a e s . Ch i , l pl r n Child ea di g . f In Ch ris t in the G arde n : M o u n t of Oli ves ( re sco ). ( ’ th u r d e c h c h a t Ville A vray. ) r d u n Cla i e L e .

o s eu m the . o u vre . C li , (L )

o s e u m the . . S . Fo r es E s . o n don . C li , (J b , q L )

on c rt l e . C e ,

o n c e rt a m etre an t . C Ch p . (Ch illy ) otta the C g e , . o u r n Th rm a r C b o : e Fa y d. h du S o e C o fic er l il.

ou de e n t le . C p V ,

ra fishe r the . ames Dona d E s . G a s o w . C y , (J l , q , l g ) r C recy en B ie . u u C rép s c le .

d Da n c e o f C u pi s .

e f N s u x em u r . Da n c o ymph . (L b g )

Dan c f N m s N e w o rk . e o y ph . ( Y )

Dan c e of N ymph s .

Da n s e An t u e . Sa on iq ( l , n u n etc n Da s l es D e s ( hi g ).

ou vre . Dan te et Vi rg il. (L ) 1 64 COROT

t t r B t n Dan e c Vi gil . ( os o o Da phn i s et C hl e .

Démoc rite et le s Abdérita ins.

De s tru ct on o f Sodo m. Sa on i ( l , D a na su r r s ed w e at n i p i hil b hi g . '

D a na s at . n ve rs a x t on 1 Paris . i b h ( U i l E hibi i , 899, )

Diane a sa to ilette . D m orent n e e tc n o e Fl i ( hi g ) . Don u c otte et Sa n c o Pan z a deco rat ve a n Q i h h ( i p e l ). Ex e u ted fo r Da u ( c big n y . )

Do n u xote : An sode. . C o w an Es . Scotla n d Q i Epi (J , q , . ) - D r n n ace the. i ki g pl ,

u nes de Zu dcote le s . D y ,

D u n k er ue. . S . o r es E s . London. q (J F b , q , )

d e of the o re s t : o rn n E g F M i g . t de N e e n v r P ffe . e s a Ex t n 1 8 aris. E ig (U i l hibi io , 55 , ) at n Effet du M i . ff t d at n an ot r E e u M i ( he ) .

E nd of the a e . A ard Par s . V ll y (M . J . ll , i )

nfan ts de la e rme le s . E F ,

ntrée du a e : Zu idc ote . M es s rs . O b ach ondo n E Vill g ( , L . ) ’

u a e . . D tri n d E ntrée d n Vill g (M e mo . )

r n de F oren ce . M etz M u eu m Envi o s l ( s . )

E nvi rons de N a ples . r ns de Pa r s Envi o i . d o u e n t E n vi rons e R ( e c hing) . ’ n v ron s de e d Avra E i Vill y. r Etude a Me y. ' u e d Avra Et de aVill y. ' d n Etude aVille A vray (a other). ' d r Etude aVille Avray (a noth e ) .

Etu e de chénes Fonta n e eau. n versa Ex t on d , i bl (U i l hibi i ,

1 8 Par s . 89, i )

Fo rét de ou ro n l a C b , . r Fo et de Fo n ta i n e bleau . F t n u r o ré dc Fo ta i n e bl ea (a n othe ) . Fo rtifica tio n d ua n s e Do i (etc hi g ) .

Fre n c c ate a u A . . An de rs o n E s . G a s o w . h h , (J , q , l g )

Ga r a di 5 o us e Ro m r Es . Lo n d H e . . S . o es o n . ib l , (J F b , q , )

Ga rde u s e de V a c e s a sa e . n versa Exhib itio n h , p y g ( U i l ,

1 88 Pa r s . 9, i )

a rd u e s dc e s t ux a u m r G e s b ia a a is . a t rin fl w t r G h e g o e rs Pa s o ale . G a u o s les a sa e l i , , p y g . G n ve 1 8 2 é é , 5 . n r d mi n v r a x i ti n 1 G e n z a o es e N é . e s o , p ( U i l E h bi , 889,

Pa ri s . )

Go a t e rd the . Sir Ma tt ew Art ur Ba rt Scot an h , ( h h , , l d. )

G oa t e rds . s o n h ( Li b . )

G oat e rd n . ou v h pipi g ( L re . ) d n t G o e A e he . l g , G ou rn a le ro s a r re y , g b . G r n u os c hé e de Fo n ta i n eblea .

G ué le . n ve rs a x t o n 1 8 8 Pa r s . , (U i l E hibi i , 9, i )

G us t of n d A . A . o u n E s . B ac k eat . Wi , ( Y g , q , l h h )

H a a r in the Des e rt. o u nt Do r a g (C i . )

H a a r in the de rn es s . o uvre g Wil (L . ) Ha e a rd r l e e . ll b i ,

- Ha ca rt the . . S . o r es E s . Lon do n y , (J F b , q , . ) ' He ts of e d Avra ig h Vill y. me r an d th S Ho e e e rds . St. o u e um h ph ( L M s . )

d e I yll .

d e rond des en fants . A rc a d C oats E s . Pa s e I yll , ( hib l , q , i l y. ) ’ Ile d Is chia rés N a es , p pl . E ETC 1 P C . 6 LIST OF I TUR S, 7

Ile St . Ba rto o meo l . n c d I e ndie de So ome . n I téri e u r du B oi s . ’ I n térie ur d Eglise . I ntér eu r de c u s n e an tes x os t on n ve rs e e i i i , M . (E p i i U i ll

de 1 88 Pa r s . , 9, i )

I n t r or of a tta e a t mo u s n . . o rea u N e ato u e i Co g Li i (M M l , r Pa is . )

S a r E . os ton . In the a rs es . P . H . e s s M h ( , q , B ) d E . o n on . I n tro s ect on . S . o r es s p i . (J F b , q , L )

ta a n G r . . S . or es E s . o n do n I li i l (J F b , q , L . ) ta e : S o uv n r I li e i . Italic S uv n r tc o e i ( e hing ) .

Italic : V u e .

I ta S o uven r of. ly , i

eun e fill e a la man do n e . n ve rsa x t o n J li (U i l E hibi i , a P ri s . ) fill n r m n d n v rsa x t on eu n e e e o e a e . e J p (U i l E hibi i , a r P i s . ) u ll J e ne fi e a u ba in . u r u J e n e G ecq e . un m r J e e e e . '

u ve d Al er u n e . J i g ,

’

L Ab reuvoir.

La c du Tyro l (etching ) .

La G a rde meu rt ma s n e ce ren d as . O r na , i p ( ig i l t o ra li h g ph . f n La ke o Alba o. m E w rk a k of N em . H . N e w c o s . N e o . L e i ( V. b , q Y )

a k N mi . H ec t Pa r s . L e of e . (M h , i )

La e Scene Mrs . der G as ow . k . ( El , l g ) 168 COROT

La Lise u se .

La nds ca pe .

a n d . o n s u u L sca pe ( Ly M se m. )

La n dsca e La Roc e e Mus eu m. p . ( h ll a n dsca e La oc e e Muse um L p . ( R h ll

a nd a a r s . L sc pe . ( P i ) n d Mo nt r u u m a s ca e . e e M L p ( p lli se . ) u vr La ndsca pe . ( Lo e . ) d a ua Mu u m La n s c e . Do se p ( i . ) t v n n Lands cape a E e i g .

ds ca : A u tumn . S or es Es . Lo n d Lan e . on p (J . F b , q , . ) M n r E La n dsca e : o rn . . S . Fo e s s . Lo n do n p i g (J b , q , . ) La ds c a S e ttin S u n n pe g .

s c a : S r n Lon d La n d e . . S . o r e s E s . on. p p i g (J F b , q , )

S tu d M a lt S . F r La nds c a e : fo r cbef . . o b es E s p y (J , q . , o o L n d n . ) a n ds c a e w t a tt e N L . P H r Es . e w Y . . Sea s o r p i h C l ( , q , k . ) La n ds c a e w t e ed Tr p i h F ll ee . La nds c a e w t F ure s Pa r s . p i h ig . ( i )

l a n ds c a e w t F ure s un n s ed . Bos ton M u seu p i h ig ( fi i h ) ( m. )

La ni ls r a v w t u re s . A Sa n de rs on E s . E p i h Fig ( . , q , din b u r g h . ) ~ l . n mls vn c w t R u ned Te m e S . Fo r es E . . s p i h i pl (J b , q . , u u L tu l tl . )

‘ ' Ln vs te t it l ia t vvlo nc O r na t o ra p . ( ig i l li h g ph

' l . n e t te V m p i a n . o c e e M La R h M E . a ll . ( . y. )

La Ro c e e a no t e r . A R M n t Pa ri . h ll ( h ) ( . . oba , s )

Lu Ro me .

La Sa u a e l i . So urc e Etude dc fill La e nue .

- Al l i ate n s e nt e “ a i r. '

Le lmln fro id.

170 COROT

Ma t n un ée e . i ,

a t n ée u n e a tora . Louvre. M i , (p s le ) ( ) ' Ma ti u n ee n e : e d Avra . , Vill y ’ ' a t n u r t n M i s l e a g : Ville d Avray. Medita tio n .

M o n e u n . i ,

o n r e “K A . oats E . cot a n o s . s S d. M i ( C , q , l )

o rn n . Io n ide s o ect o n Sout Ken s n ton M i g ( C ll i , h i g . ) r M o tefo nta i n e . t n d M o he r a d Chil . n a M o uli n de Sai t N i c ho l s .

M o u li n Droco u rt.

N a es . x os t on n vers e l e pl (E p i i U i l , N a rn i .

mi e n ture mu r z o ert. N e P i ale c h e M . R b

N o rman d e e ffe t de S o r. H . Bru ce E s . i , i ( , q ) N m o uc au r d l me r y ph e c hée bo d e a .

N ymphe co uc hée au bo rd de la mer (another). N m d y ph e e s bo i s . N u n ymph es a ba i . v c u n t re N ymph es jou an t a e ig . N m s c t a u n es x o s t on n verse e y ph e F . (E p i i U i ll ,

N m s dan c n . a nde r t Es . N ew o r y ph i g (V bil , q , Y k . )

N m f th Da w n . Mrs . e P ade a y ph s o e ( F ll, hil lphi . ) n w t u d Nymph s playi g i h C pi .

ld tta a t S mu r O Co g e e .

d u Staat r s E s . on don l m o se . o e O a r . s . F h (J F b , q , L )

O n the Ba n s of the Se n e. . Staats o r es E s k i (J F b , q . , o d L n on . ) n t Staats o r es Es on don h ne . . O e S e . i . (J F b , q , L )

O rc ard the e de Semur . h , (Vill ) O r h e p é . 1 71 LIST OF P C U E ETC. I T R S,

O r hée entrain a n t E u r dic ée p y . O uts k rts o f the oo d i W . ’ O utsk rts of the e d Avra i Vill y.

Pa a z z o D o r a G en oa . x o s t o n n ve rs e e l i , (E p i i U i ll ,

Pa rc de s o n s a Pon t- a r x o s t o n n vers e e Li M ly . (E p i i U i ll ,

Pa s s a e du G u é. x o s t on n ve r e e g (E p i i U i s ll , a s s e u r P , l e .

Pa sto ra e . x o s t o n n ve rs e e l (E p i i U i ll , Pa s to ra e . S . o r es E s . o n do n . l (J . F b , q , L ) ’

Pa s to ra e S o u ven r d Ita lie . G a s o w A rt Ga e r l , i ( l g ll y . ) Pa s tu re a n d Po n d .

atur P a e . es s rs . O b a ch o n do n . g (M , L )

a sa e ou vre . P y g . (L )

Pa s a e c o m o s é dra w n u sée de e . y g p ( i g ) . (M Lill ) ’ Pa s a e d A rto is x o s t o n n ve rse e y g . (E p i i U i ll , ea a n d P s t r n o n s ru s s el s . i i g . ( M . E . Ly , B ) ea s a n ts a t a P Po o l . éc e u r a l n P h a lig e . Péc e u r N a o ta n h , p li i .

Pe r n a n . S . o r E n d n . es s . o o pig (J F b , q , L . ) Pe t ts dén c eu rs les x o s t on n ve rs e e i i h , . (E p i i U i ll , P c a rd e 1a i i , . P a n e um de en an dre s l i h i Fl .

P a s rs du So r les . l i i i , ' Po n d a t e d A vra Vill y. ’ ’

o n d at d vra w t o ro t s o u s e . S or s P e A C H . e Vill y, i h (J . F b , E s q . ) n Po t, le .

rt r E Po o f a rs e es . S . o es s . M ill (J . F b , q ) ' o rt ra ts o f orot a t e r an d o t e r S . o r es P C . . i s F h M h (J F b , E s q . ) ' o u e a ux uf P l oe s d o r. 1 72 COROT

- - P ra r e a St at e rin e les Arraz . i i e . C h Pres Arra s .

P rin te m s . x os t o n n ve rs e l e G . C o t s p (E p i i U i l , ( a ,

E s . A r. q , y )

Ra eu r da n s la a n e o n ta ne ea u g pl i , F i bl . Ra ma s seu rs de o s b i . ’ Ra ma s s e us e de fa ots e d Avra g , Vill y.

Rav n e A . i ,

- Re ed c utte r , the .

- Ree d c u tt n . S . o r es E s . Lon don . i g . (J F b , q , ) - d c utt n u n n s ed s ketc . S . o r e s E s Ree . i g ( fi i h h) (J F b , q . , on do n L . )

Re os le . p ,

Re os l e . S . o r es E s . p , . (J F b , q )

Re st.

’ Retou r du ma rc é d Arr h a s .

R va vue de . i , R ve ve rte x o s t on n ve rse e i . ( E p i i U i ll , R v ere de Sca r e i i p . R v ere res ea u va s i i p B i . Ro ad to the urc Ch h .

Ro me a ro n De n s oc n Pa ris . . (B y C hi , )

Ro me n ea r to etc n . , ( hi g ) o me Th a m a na at N t R e C p g igh . ’ “ Ro me : o n ta n e en fa c e de l Aca démie en te F i . ( V r Co ot . ’ Ro n de de da n se us es a u o rd de eau b l . n m Ro de de N es . Ba rb e dien n e . y ph . (M ) dra Rou en a t e . . S . o r e s E s . o n do n . C h l (J F b , q , L ) ’

Ro ute d A rra s . ou vr (L e . ) out s o ée R e en le ill .

Rou te la a sa e . , , p y g

ut d vr u vre. Ro e e Se e s . (Lo )

S : de C o u b rc n.

- " i h : Ir d ta lic e tchin . Mei s rs . ou c I g , Lond o n . )

5 0 r ' e

‘ i ‘ - - S u ve t e N - r: na n d: e.

’ e r e : c it in Mess rs . Obac h Lo o s a ne e . n T c g ( , do n . ) de \ 51Ie d

' So u v v en i r de Viil e d A vra . u v So e n ir du la c de N emi . to rm o t S n he Sa ndhills .

' v el Strea m : “o ma n and Child (dec o ra ti e pan ). ( Pa in ted fo r Da u bign y. ud f B ha nt St y fo r the Pict ure o la a cc e.

S un s et.

’ m 5. i u e e e d Avra ne . T p ll y, ' vo : o m He nri R T r the a d E s te . M . o u i li F Vill ( art , Pa r s i . )

o e tte la . M De s fo s s es . T il , ( . V. )

To m s of the C a sa rs . . S . o r es Es . Lon don . b (J F b , q )

To rre n t da n s le s Ro ma g n e s .

To sca n e .

ou r d r es s rs . Ob a ch London . T e M on tlhe y . ( M , )

- To urn an t de la Se ine a Po n t M a rly.

- ow n at S . o r es E s . T i g p h . (J . F b , q )

r s a n d A. T . e d E s . G a ow . ec Po n d. R s T ( i , q , l g )

re o rt : Au a e. x o s t on n verse e T p pl g (E p i i U i ll , ' r s l t n T o i Vac he s a E a g .

Tw t. Io nides C o ect on S ou t Kens n to n . iligh ( ll i , h i g )

T ro ta en . . S . o r es E s . y l I li (J F b , q ) n Ty rol Italie .

'

Vfl chc s a. l Ab reuvoir. Ven us et C u pid L E T 1 P C TU E C . 5 IST OF I R S, 7

’ en u s cou e les A e s d l m u r t V p il e A o (e c hi ng ).

e r er le . V g ,

e ux Pon t de Po ss es s rs . Ob a ch Lon don . Vi i y . (M , )

e w at a rr tz . . Se mo u r Pa r s . Vi Bi i (M y , i ) e w o f the o seu m Rome rw n Da v s Es Vi C li , . (E i i , q . , N w rk e Yo . )

ew of the o ru m Rome . ouvre . Vi F , ( L )

ew of th ro . a r es u s eu Vi e Ty l ( M s eill M m. ’ ew of v o uen u s eu m Vi Ville d A ray. ( R M a e Street Vill g . a e of Ma rc u x t n n ve rs e e o s s . os o Vill g y (E p i i U i ll ,

a Pam hili Ro me . u ter E s . o n don . Vill p , (W. Q il , q , L ) ’

e d Avra S . o r e s E s . Vill y. (J . F b , q ) ’

e d Avra . . . . Rou x a rs e es . Vill y (M J C , M ill ) ’

e d A vra Mrs . e me n w a Bos to n . . H Vill y ( y , )

e et la c de oin e . x o s t on n ve rs e e Vill C (E p i i U i ll , ’

V u e d A rto is . x o s t o n n ve rs e e (E p i i U i ll , V u e de o r r n C be il : De g a d ma tin . ’ V u e de u r a Il e d Is chia . F i , ’ V ue d Ita li Av n u u e . ( ig on M s e m. ) ’ V ue d Italie etc n ( hi g ) . V u e de la Fo r t d t i l u x osit o n U n i é e Fon a n eb ea . (E p i

ve rs elle ,

V ue de Ro tterda m .

V u e de Su s s e i .

V ue du a e de Sin res Do ua . Vill g , p i

V ue de o te rra o s can e. V l , T ' V r A r ue p i s e aVille d v ay.

V u e ris e a o te rra o sc an e . p V l , T

E . n do n . at r oo The e d of. . S . Fo r es s o W e l : Fi l (J b , q , L )

d Man of the o ods . . ow a n E s . G a s ow . Wil W (J C , q , l g ) w s Willo . oma n a n er W d Tig . 176 COROT

' n “mn e n ba thi g .

n - a t e r rs o rc ora n Galler A g h e . ( C y, me r E Wo o d a n d a k e . Po tte r Pal s . C h i L ( , q , ca go . )

' Dav “ s o M r ou s s . rw in is E s . o od f a c v ( E , q , N ew Y

h Lon don . Zu idco te . ( Mes s rs . O b ac , )

N f - — l i mu st be re mem ered that m of thes e TB . b y m nstant c an n hands even as we w ri t are co ly h gi g e.

1 78 COROT 1 844 U n e Ma tin ée De s tructi o n o f Sodo m S o le il couc han t Tyro l Lan ds ca pe w ith Fig u res ita lien I 8 2 Ro me The Campag na at 5 La Roc helle N ight So co uc ant 1 3 45 le il h Da phn i s a n d Chloe H o me r a n d the S e e rds h ph M a tin ée Pa sa e y g Ma rtyrdom of Sa int Le e r e r V g bas tia n 1 846 Co uc her du Sole il Fo rét de Fonta i n eblea u 1 857 I S4 7 Le Con c ert B e r e r o ua n t a vec u n e g j I n ce ndie de Sodome c evre ’ h U n e Ma tin ée : V i lle d Av ray a n ds ca e L p N ymphs Pla ying with C upid ré us c u e ’ C p l Sou ven i r de Ville d Avray I n téri eu r de Bo i s ’ 1 8 V ue d Italie 59

S u n s et Da n te a n d Vi rg il ’ d Av s c i, Etude aVille ray Id e Effe t du Ma tin yll Limou s in 1 849 M a cbeth Ch ri s t in the Garden of Tyro l i tali en Olives Co lis eu m 1 86 1 S te de mo us n ’ i Li i Sou ve n i r d Ital ie ' V ue r s e a e d Avra p i Vill y Le Lac V u a o te rra e prise V l N ymph s Da nc i n g 1 850 O rphée ' Etude aVille d Avray Le re po s Leve r du Sole il S o le il le vant PICT URES E! HIBITED IN SALONS 1 863 1 868

’ ’ Etude a Ville d A vra y M a ti n Ville d Avra y Etu de a Méry Le S o i r S v n t ole il le a 1 869

L s e us e 1 864 a Li ’ Sou ve n i r de Ville d Avray Le c ou p de ven t M o rtefo nta in e ’ S h e ph e rd s Sta r P rés A rra s

’ 1 865 S o le il c o u cha n t Ville d ’ A vra S ou ve n i r d Ita lie (etc hi n g ) y Le M a ti n S o uve n i r du la c de N e mi Le Pa s s e u r

n v ro n s de Ro me ( etc E i h Cla i r de Lu n e i n ) ' g S ou ven i r d Arl e ux du N o rd S o litu de : Limou s m

1 86 7 Bibli s A G u s t o f Wi n d Les Bfic he ron s M ri s ll r s Bea u va s Les P a s rs du So r a s e e , p e i l i i i BI BLIOGRAPHY

m 1 u A ca de . 8 P . rt y 74. B y .

l m dcm . 1 8 . Oc to e r Fr e ck W . ed ri edmo y 75 b re . ' ’ ' ‘ Al b u m CIass zq ue des Chefi -d G u vre dc Con t

- r t e . Ro e r M es . c i iqu ) L . g il

A rt a n d Letters V ol . . 1 88 1 . Vol . 11. 1 88 2 . . i '

o i n 1 melin . L A rf on fem m . 868 C hau C p . '

L A rf 1 8 . Ro u s sea u . . 75 . J '

L A r . 1 8 E Da li ha rd t . 75 . p . '

L A rt. 1 8 A . Ro a n t 79. b . ’

L A rt 1 88 2 . A . Ro an t . . b ' L A rt et l es A rtistes l lI odem es . 1 86 . C es nea u 4 h .

L s A rt t d mon tem s . 1 8 6 . C h . Blan e e i s es e p 7 . A r u rn a 1 86 u y t j o l . 7. J l .

A rt ou m a l 1 8 . j . 75

A rt our na l 1 88 . u . R . A . M . Stevenson j . 9 J ly .

l x . o m r r nal V o . e A L S A t ou P . a mon j . iii by . l .

A k me u m 1 8 . e ruar . t e . 75 F b y

’ ' lz a u Sa lon 1 86 . L A u tog rap e . 4 hoo o P Th a rbiz on Sc l a i n ters . V ol . 1 8 e B f . i 89. G reat w o A sts . . . e tt rti J M ll . ’ ’ - Les B ea ux A rts d l E x ositzon 1 8 8 . Blan p . 7 Ch . e. “ amille C orot. 1 8 1 L. . C 9 . Rog e r es M il . '

La ca ita le de l A rt. 1 886 A ert o ff p . lb W l . '

da Lo u r . 1 8 l Causerzes v e 3 4. Ja . ' ' ' -d mu re des ollecti ons Pa n z n Cen t Cke s v C s e nes . 1 88 fi 4. W ff A o . . l

18 2 COROT

l i n den : Pa i n ti n 1 r e M . Geo oo re . g . 893 g V en E n la n d J l a ru i n e Vol . v N S . g g . . ( . ) C . Thur w e i n e r g .

Ve to R evie w V l x iv R . A M St v n . o . . . . e e s o n .

' ' oi c s l o u n i r dovi Hal c S ve s . 1 88 . u c ev 9 L y. n d a V o l . x A H . B c ne . . . i k ll O verl a n d J Io n t/zl V l x v P oore . o M y . . J . . .

' ' P t i n l n s Con tem o ra i n s 1 888 C har es Bi ot . p . l g P i n ’ ’ e tr R o a u l i s . es n ea u . e s m qm A. Ch

Pei n tres ct Sc u l teu rs Con tem ora i ns . oua s t p p J . P or Mi 60. a. 1 8 0 . t/ 7 . p

P ort b io n - Mena rd 1 l 1 8 . Re e . 6 . / . 75 . p 4

R e u d l u 1 c t r . v e es J sécs . 88 O o e 9. b ' a l on s d hor A v u n r f c e ar W S e T. T é. ec e e a . B ur p p g e r.

1 868 .

ix P or ra i S t ts . 1 88 . v n R ns s e a er a e . 9 M . G . l So u n i r I n tim ri D ve s es . o rot 1 8 . H e n u m C . 75 es n il. ”

S t u dio. V ol . 1 8 R en t Art. R . . Stu d o f ec . A M i 93 y . . Steven son .

’ Vo a e it tra vers I E x os ition des B ea ux A rts . 1 8 y g jo 55 . dmo nd o u t E Ab . I N D E !

A out dmond 1 1 2 1 2 u sson 1 1 1 1 b , E , , 7, B i , 3 , 7 1 0 Burt 0 6 1 1 3 y, 49, 5 , 5 , 3 Adam and E ve chased ” fro m Parad se 1 8 a at 1 2 1 0 i , 4 C b , 4 , 4 ” A ar 2 2 6 6 2 afé Grec Rome 1 g , 5, , C ( ), 7 Ali n 1 1 1 8 2 1 00 arr om ns 1 2 1 1 2 2 g y, 5 , 7, , 7, C , C y , ,

Au uin 8 1 Casta n et M. 1 8 g , g , , 5 A an 8 1 atacom s 2 ppi , C b , 5, 74 r n h n neviér d M A e t ces 6 C e es e . pp i hip, , , 54 A rceuil 1 Chin treuil 60 8 1 , 3 , , A rc tecture his v ews on Clarétie 8 0 1 hi , i , 94 . 7, 9 , 95, 37 A rras 2 0 o n Gustave 1 1 . 9. 3 . 45. 47 C li , , 4 on sta e 1 2 0 1 2 1 0 C bl , , 4, 4 , Ballaud 1 8 , 5 1 4 1

a t sm of rist 2 . 1 8 oro t aren ta e B p i Ch , 7, 4 C , p g , 3 ar z on sc oo da s B bi , 74 h l y , 5 ar e 6 1 a ren t ces 6 B y , pp i hip, au n auct oneer 60 Stud o Su sse 8 B big y ( i ), i i , e 88 rst cture 1 2 B lly, fi pi , er ers Les 6 work in Rome 1 6 B g ( ) , 5 , ert n douard 1 1 00 rst Sa on cture 1 8 B i , E , 5, fi l pi , Bertin Victor 1 0 1 1 1 1 second v s t to I ta 2 6 , , , , 4, 5, i i ly, 1 6 2 rst urc aser 2 , 4 fi p h , 9 ” i s 1 8 t rd v s t to I ta 1 B bli , 5 , 5 hi i i ly, 3 Bocourt Ga rie 88 e on of Honour 8 , b l , L gi , 3 on n in ton 1 0 v s t to En and B g , 4 i i gl , 43 ou o ne ar es 8 1 tour in rance B l g , Ch l , F , 47 Boussal on auct oneer 0 s ec a o d meda ( i ) , 4 , p i l g l l , 49 60 ortra ts of 88 p i , ri ouin Cour et 1 60 B ll , 55 b , 4, ” Bficherons Les 8 rome 1 2 0 1 2 1 0 ( ) , 5 C , , 4, 4 1 84. COROT

Dali hard douard 6 eur Léon 1 1 p , E , 55, 5 Fl y, , 5 Damma e man ue renc Academ g , E l , 74 F h y Da ubi n Ch. 0 60 Rome 1 1 y, , 5 , 54, , , 5, 7

1 1 1 0 1 2 1 rére Ed . 0 9 9 5 : 4 : 5 : 53 , F , , 5 1 r men t m i t r 2 o M e. s s e 54 F , ( ) , Danmter Hon oré 0 roment n 1 0 1 1 , , 5 , 79, F i , 5 , 5 uneral F , 53 Decorat ve ain t n i p i g,

c a . ix . Gericau t 1 0 h p l , 5 ’ Decam s 1 0 1 0 1 1 Gerome 8 1 0 p , 7, 5 , 5 , 4 , 49, 5 Decan 88 G ert 8 , ilb , 9 Dechaume Geoffro 0 Giraud 1 2 , y, 5 , 57 , 5 De acro x 6 2 M 0 1 Gou i . l i , , 4 p l , , 49 Delalain 8 Guer n Pierre 1 , 7, i , , 5 De 8 1 lpy, Dem doff Pr nce Paul 1 0 Han in ommittee for the i , i , 7, g g C 1 0 1 1 Sa on 5 , 5 l , 39 D r e e thes B . 1 8 1 H o ema 1 2 0 p , J . , 3 , 39 bb , D az H uet 1 2 1 0 i , 43 , 4, 4 D eter e 8 1 H u o ictor 86 i l , g , V , Doua i , 47 Du re u es 0 60 2 I ncome p , J l , 5 , 54, , 9 , , 47 1 0 1 1 I n de endent work 1 1 4 , 5 p , 5, 7

Dutill eux M . 2 I n d vidua t of st e 1 20 , , 9, 44 i li y yl , , Duvellero 1 8 I y, 5 37 I nst tut i , 74 ’ E n and C orot s vis t to I ta trave s in 1 2 2 6 1 gl , i , 43 ly, l , 9, 4, , 3 x t on Ro a A cadem I nternationa x i ition E hibi i ( y l y, l E h b , 43 Scot and 1 08 I n tros ection 0 1 6 l ) , p , 7 , 7 E x p o s i t i o n U n i v e rs e l l e al 1 00 1 0 39 J , , 9 eun e on J g , 4 ie d n 1 0 ur of Se ect on for Sa on F l i g, 4 J y l i l , 39 ure a nt n 1 0 Fig p i i g, 3 rst draw n from n ature 1 La roix 8 1 Fi i g , 3 C , cture 1 2 La Rochenoire 80 pi , , u c n ot ce 1 00 Lavieille p bli i , , 54 ’ urc aser 2 é on d Honneur 8 p h , 9 L gi , 3 , 53 Sa on cture 1 8 Le ton Sir rederic 1 1 l pi , igh , F , 5 Flahan t 8 1 e eux Armand 1 2 , L l , , 5

1 86 CO ROT

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