View of Provins 1840 - 1842

Camille Corot made this pencil drawing, "View of Provins," sometime in the mid-19th century. In it, we see a depiction of a French town dominated by its medieval tower. Corot's work emerged during a time of great social and political change in France. The old feudal order was gone, but the legacy of aristocratic rule was still present in the landscape. It is a theme echoed in this drawing. Corot emphasizes the medieval architecture of Provins, as if seeking to connect with the historical roots of France. I see this piece as being about French national identity. Corot was part of a generation of artists who sought to define what it meant to be French in a rapidly modernizing world. What makes the work of art interesting is the history it implies and the research resources that might be used in understanding it better. The meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.