Villeneuve-les-Avignon 1836

Camille Corot made this painting, Villeneuve-les-Avignon, with oil on canvas. The composition, built up of horizontal bands, gently leads our eye from the foreground, where the dark, almost skeletal trees reach up, towards the golden illuminated buildings in the mid-ground. Then further back to the soft, blue grey mountain, beneath a pale sky. Corot’s application of paint is crucial here. Look closely and you’ll notice how he uses a feathery touch, building up the forms with small, soft strokes. These strokes are especially evident in the foliage and the sky, giving the impression of light shimmering through the leaves and clouds gently moving. This technique reflects Corot’s interest in capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere. His style bridges the gap between the older, more formal landscape tradition, and the emerging Impressionist movement with their interest in shifting light, and the sensory experience of a scene. Though this painting appears realistic, consider how the softened details and emphasis on light create an emotional, rather than strictly representational, experience. How does this emphasis on light and form shape our understanding of this landscape?