Une Paysanne Et Sa Vache À La Mare En Vue D’un Village c. 1860 - 1865

This landscape painting by Camille Corot is made with oil paints on canvas, a very typical combination for its time. Consider how the materiality of oil paint, its viscosity and drying time, has influenced the appearance of the work. Corot has used thin washes, scumbling and layering to create the effect of light, atmosphere, and the soft haziness of a humid day. You can see the materiality of the paint in the way Corot has described form. The edges are soft, the overall effect suggestive. The painting evokes the working life of the peasant woman, through its depiction of nature, labor and rural life. Yet, its primary aim is to create beauty and atmosphere, and to make the viewer feel as though they could step right into the scene. Looking closely at the painting, you'll notice how Corot used fluid and translucent paint to suggest the reflections on the surface of the water, and more textured strokes of thicker paint to define the rocks, foliage, and landscape. The handling of the materials is as important as the subject matter, blurring the line between observation and invention, between fine art and craft.