Mlle. Leotine Desavary Holding a Turtledove 1872

Camille Corot painted this portrait of Mlle. Leotine Desavary holding a turtledove, using oil paint on canvas. The brushwork is loose and expressive, especially in the background, where the building and vegetation dissolve into a hazy atmosphere. Corot applied the paint in thin layers, or glazes, to create a luminous effect. This allowed him to build up color and texture gradually. The material qualities of oil paint – its viscosity, opacity, and ability to blend – are fully exploited here. The visible brushstrokes add to the sense of immediacy and spontaneity. Corot was part of the Barbizon School, who reacted against the formality of academic painting. He focused on capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. The seemingly effortless quality of the painting belies the artist's skill and expertise. By embracing a more informal and naturalistic style, Corot elevated the everyday and challenged the traditional hierarchies of fine art.