Ville d'Avray The Boat Leaving the Shore 1870

Camille Corot made this oil painting, Ville d'Avray The Boat Leaving the Shore, using traditional fine art materials: canvas stretched over a wood frame, and carefully prepared paints. Corot was a master of atmosphere, evoking a subtle mood here with delicate brushwork. The canvas is built up with many thin layers of paint. He used this method to capture the way light filters through the leaves of trees, and reflects off the surface of the water. Corot's technique was rooted in close observation and technical skill acquired through academic training, but the application of it reflects a more modern sensibility. The artist's approach elevates the status of landscape painting. For centuries it was seen as less important than history painting, and portraiture. Corot makes it worthy of attention through his labor and highly refined artistry. He demonstrates that beauty, and meaning, can be found even in the simplest of scenes. The painting reminds us that even traditional art forms can be innovative when approached with the right level of craft and care.