The Departure of the Boatman 1870 - 1872

Camille Corot made this oil on canvas painting, The Departure of the Boatman, in France sometime in the mid-19th century. At first glance, it's a simple scene. But, we can delve deeper. Corot was part of the Barbizon School, a group of landscape painters who rejected the rigid academic style of the time. Instead, they embraced painting *en plein air*, directly from nature. This was a radical shift! Before, landscapes were idealized, staged. Corot and his peers sought authenticity. The painting hints at social structures too. Look at the figures: boatman, passenger, perhaps a local woman. What are their stories? How do they relate to the land? Were they part of the new market economy? These artists weren't just painting pretty pictures, they were capturing a changing world. To fully understand Corot, we need to consider the context. The rise of industrialization, the growth of cities, the changing relationship between people and nature. What can historians tell us about the art institutions of the time? Research into these areas can help us interpret the painting as a reflection of its time, a commentary on the social and economic forces shaping France.