Artwork

Reading Beneath the Trees (La Lecture sous les arbres)

Reading Beneath the Trees (La Lecture sous les arbres), by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, ink, 1874
Reading Beneath the Trees (La Lecture sous les arbres), by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, ink, 1874

Reading Beneath the Trees (La Lecture sous les arbres) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Jean Baptiste Camille Corot. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Reading Beneath the Trees (La Lecture sous les arbres) is a lithograph on yellow paper created by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot in 1874. It is a print that showcases Corot's skill in capturing natural scenes.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts a serene natural setting with a figure reading under trees, conveying a sense of tranquility. The scene is framed by two trees, with a stone wall and a small building visible in the distance.

Technique & Style

Corot employed loose, rough strokes to render the trees, prioritizing their natural shape over precise details. The leaves are suggested through light shading, and the ground is minimally marked, focusing attention on the trees and the background structure.

History & Provenance

Corot, active from 1796 to 1875, was a French painter and printmaker who played a significant role in the transition from Neo-Classicism to the innovations of Impressionism.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Jean Baptiste Camille Corot

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.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.