Artwork
The Artist's Mother (Marie Françoise Oberson, 1769 - 1851)
The Artist's Mother (Marie Françoise Oberson, 1769 - 1851) is an oil painting by the Realist artist Jean Baptiste Camille Corot. It dates from 1842 and is held in the collection of the National Galleries Scotland. Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot painted a portrait of his mother, Marie Françoise Oberson, in 1842.
About this work
The painting depicts a woman sitting in a chair, wearing a blue dress with a white collar and a purple ribbon around her neck.
The painting depicts a woman sitting in a chair, wearing a blue dress with a white collar and a purple ribbon around her neck. She has a white bonnet on her head, adorned with a purple ribbon and a white lace trim. Her hands are resting on her lap, with her right hand on top of her left. The background of the painting is a dark brown color.
The woman's facial expression is calm and serene, with a hint of a smile. Her eyes are cast downward, as if she is lost in thought. The overall atmosphere of the painting is one of quiet contemplation and introspection.
The painting is a portrait of the artist's mother, created by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot in 1842. It is held at the Scottish National Gallery. To learn more about the artist's use of chiaroscuro, explore the technique.
Overview
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot painted a portrait of his mother, Marie Françoise Oberson, in 1842. Executed in oil on canvas, the work is part of the collection of the Scottish National Gallery. It presents a seated woman in modest attire, rendered with a calm, introspective demeanor.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is Corot’s mother, shown seated in a chair, dressed in a blue gown with a white collar and a purple ribbon at the neck. A white bonnet with lace and a matching ribbon frames her face. Her hands rest gently on her lap, and her down‑cast eyes and slight smile suggest quiet contemplation.
Technique & Style
Corot employs a restrained realist approach, using muted tones and careful modeling to convey texture and form. The background is a deep brown, allowing the figure’s clothing and subtle facial expression to stand out. The brushwork remains controlled, reflecting the artist’s transition between neoclassical training and emerging plein‑air sensibilities.
History & Provenance
Created during a period when Corot was balancing academic conventions with nascent Impressionist ideas, the portrait entered the Scottish National Gallery’s holdings in the early 20th century. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in 19th‑century French portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
Mary Bygrave (1770–1846), Housekeeper to the Trustees, Aged 74
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