Who painted Hide-and-Seek (Cache-cache)?

Hide-and-Seek (Cache-cache) was painted by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot in 1858.

Where can I see Hide-and-Seek (Cache-cache)?

Hide-and-Seek (Cache-cache) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Hide-and-Seek (Cache-cache)?

Hide-and-Seek (Cache-cache) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Hide-and-Seek (Cache-cache)

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot , 1858

Hide-and-Seek (Cache-cache) is a print by the Impressionist artist Jean Baptiste Camille Corot. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1858, *Hide‑and‑Seek (Cache‑cache)* is a print by the French artist Jean‑Baptiste‑Camille Corot.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1858, *Hide‑and‑Seek (Cache‑cache)* is a print by the French artist Jean‑Baptiste‑Camille Corot. Executed with the cliché‑verre process, the work presents a tranquil woodland where children are captured in the act of playing hide‑and‑seek. The composition is rendered with a faint, almost ethereal quality that suggests a momentary glimpse of a fleeting scene.

Subject & Meaning

The image focuses on a small group of youngsters concealed among slender trees, their presence hinted at by subtle outlines and a barely discernible path. The playful activity evokes themes of innocence and the transitory nature of childhood, while the muted atmosphere invites contemplation of the hidden versus the revealed.

Technique & Style

Corot employed cliché‑verre, a hybrid method that combines drawing on glass with photographic printing. By inscribing the design onto a glass plate and exposing it to light, he achieved a translucent, soft‑focused effect. The resulting lines are loose and sketch‑like, lending the work a draft‑quality that blurs the boundary between drawing and early photographic processes.

History & Provenance

The work remains part of several public collections dedicated to 19th‑century French art.

The print was produced during a period when Corot was transitioning from academic Neo‑Classicism toward the plein‑air approaches that would later influence Impressionism. Although primarily known for his oil landscapes, Corot explored experimental printmaking in the 1850s, and *Hide‑and‑Seek* exemplifies his interest in new media. The work remains part of several public collections dedicated to 19th‑century French art.

Artist & collection

Artist

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (UK: KORR-oh, US: kə-ROH, kor-OH; French: ; 16 July 1796 – 22 February 1875), or simply Camille Corot, was a French landscape and portrait painter as well as a printmaker in etching.