Page 178 - A Selection Of European Art
P. 178
Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet «French», 1819 / As for the “landscapes” enjoying
1877, Portrait of a man, Oil on canvas, 46.5x38 cm. a “romantic” atmosphere, they were
drawn by the famous French painter
Camille Corot (1875-1796), in which the
elaborate depiction of tree trunks, rocks,
and plants is shown. Corot witnessed the
intellectual and artistic fluctuations in
the first half of the nineteenth century in
France and the revolution of “enlightening
and rational thought” that swept Europe
during the previous period. The “French
Revolution” proved that everything is
possible with the will of man. However,
contrary to the rationalism that prevailed
in thought and society, most artists
inclined towards a kind of individual
“Romanticism” in search of strange
horizons. Nevertheless, Corot’s paintings
were not purely “romantic”; they were
also characterized by some Classicism.
Most of his paintings were landscapes
inspired directly by nature, yet they
reflected his states of mind, and a bit
of sadness, proving Corot’s attachment
to his work, regardless of its objectivity.
He succeeded in portraying his sincere
feelings and his psychological state in his
landscapes. His paintings were almost a
reflection of his mood. Such reflection
revealed the rich romantic character of
his paintings. Corot was not restricted by
the academic teachings; he drew nature
directly from reality, preserving the
freshness of the first impression towards
it. What distinguishes his style is the
delicate shapes, the elaborate coloring,
and the subtle shadow-light gradients,
with the soft lines and the light effect
unified romantically and peacefully.
178
1877, Portrait of a man, Oil on canvas, 46.5x38 cm. a “romantic” atmosphere, they were
drawn by the famous French painter
Camille Corot (1875-1796), in which the
elaborate depiction of tree trunks, rocks,
and plants is shown. Corot witnessed the
intellectual and artistic fluctuations in
the first half of the nineteenth century in
France and the revolution of “enlightening
and rational thought” that swept Europe
during the previous period. The “French
Revolution” proved that everything is
possible with the will of man. However,
contrary to the rationalism that prevailed
in thought and society, most artists
inclined towards a kind of individual
“Romanticism” in search of strange
horizons. Nevertheless, Corot’s paintings
were not purely “romantic”; they were
also characterized by some Classicism.
Most of his paintings were landscapes
inspired directly by nature, yet they
reflected his states of mind, and a bit
of sadness, proving Corot’s attachment
to his work, regardless of its objectivity.
He succeeded in portraying his sincere
feelings and his psychological state in his
landscapes. His paintings were almost a
reflection of his mood. Such reflection
revealed the rich romantic character of
his paintings. Corot was not restricted by
the academic teachings; he drew nature
directly from reality, preserving the
freshness of the first impression towards
it. What distinguishes his style is the
delicate shapes, the elaborate coloring,
and the subtle shadow-light gradients,
with the soft lines and the light effect
unified romantically and peacefully.
178
