Young Girl with a Large Cap on Her Head 1835

Editor: Here we have Corot's "Young Girl with a Large Cap on Her Head," painted around 1835, in oils. I'm really struck by her gaze—it's so direct, yet there's a softness to it. The limited color palette, anchored by that pop of red, feels very intentional. What do you make of it? Curator: Corot had such a knack for intimacy, didn't he? Look at how the light catches the fabric of her cap. He wasn’t trying to show off; it was always about capturing a feeling, a fleeting moment. It’s almost as if he's painting a memory, blurred around the edges. Do you feel that sense of nostalgia, of something just beyond our reach? Editor: I do, now that you mention it. I hadn’t considered the memory aspect, but that’s a beautiful way to put it. The Romanticism tag also makes so much sense, and how it's a mix between observation and his imagination and memories... Curator: Exactly. And in his portraits, especially, there is no one else to blame but himself... I would say that he looks so earnest into the observer eyes, there must be so much of himself to hide into someone's face. Editor: That's so well said, "something to hide in someone's face".... It makes me want to keep looking to try and see what it is. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. Next one will probably keep us gazing, too.