Little Sister 1854

"Little Sister" is an undated etching by Camille Corot, now at the Art Institute of Chicago. Corot lived through tumultuous periods in French history, including the rise and fall of Napoleon, and the revolutions of 1830 and 1848, all of which shaped artistic sensibilities towards representing everyday life. This artwork is thought to show Corot's awareness of representing women and children, here perhaps within the context of rural peasantry. The image presents a vision of childhood, family, and labor, though somewhat idealized. The woman might be seen as a maternal figure and the child a symbol of innocence, which perhaps reflects Corot's personal values. This etching gently challenges prevailing academic art, with the artist focusing on representing an intimate glimpse into the lives of ordinary people, and maybe even alluding to broader issues of social class.