Artwork
Young woman at a fountain
Young woman at a fountain is an oil painting by the Realist artist Jean Baptiste Camille Corot. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1845, *Young Woman at a Fountain* is an oil painting by French artist Jean‑Baptiste‑Camille Corot. The work portrays a solitary figure beside a water source, rendered with a restrained palette and subdued lighting. It currently belongs to the collection of the Kröller‑Müller Museum, where it is displayed among other 19th‑century works.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a young woman dressed in a red skirt and green blouse, her dark hair gathered back. She holds a sizeable jug in her right hand while her left hand rests on her hip, her gaze directed toward the unseen water. The muted background and her thoughtful posture suggest a moment of private reflection, emphasizing interior contemplation over narrative action.
Technique & Style
The handling of oil paint reflects his interest in natural light, with subtle gradations that model the figure against a shadowy, tree‑dotted backdrop.
Corot employs a modest, almost tonal approach, allowing forms to emerge from softened edges rather than sharp outlines. The handling of oil paint reflects his interest in natural light, with subtle gradations that model the figure against a shadowy, tree‑dotted backdrop. This method bridges the academic clarity of Neo‑Classical training with the immediacy of plein‑air observation characteristic of early Realism.
History & Provenance
Painted during a period when Corot was transitioning from landscape to portraiture, the piece exemplifies his Realist phase. After changing hands in private collections, it entered the Kröller‑Müller Museum’s holdings in the mid‑20th century, where it has remained part of the museum’s focus on 19th‑century French painting.
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.
