About this artwork
The fresh colour and deftly observed play of light and shadow on the rutted track make this one of Corot's most attractive landscapes. The warm hues of the seated figure catch the eye, as do the flourishing branches of the central prominent tree. Corot was very familiar with the country around Ville-d'Avray, for his family lived in this small town to the west of Paris. This painting was probably made just before Corot left for Italy in 1825. It was retouched around 1850. The composition and treatment of light may also reflect the artist's response to Constable's paintings, exhibited in Paris in the mid 1820s.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot (1796 - 1875) French
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title:Ville-d'Avray: Entrance to the Wood
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date created:About 1823/25, with later reworking, probably early 1850s
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materials:Oil on canvas
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measurements:46.00 x 35.00 cm; Framed: 69.50 x 59.50 x 12.10 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Purchased with the aid of A. E. Anderson in memory of his brother Frank 1927
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accession number:NG 1681
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gallery:
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subject:
Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot
Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot
Corot's landscapes developed from the classical landscape tradition and strongly influenced the young Impressionists. He trained in his native Paris, having persuaded his parents that his future was with painting rather than the family textile business. In 1825 he travelled to Italy and made many...
