Oil on panel entitled 'Landscape: Woodland Study' by a follower of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. French School, late 19th century.

A sketchy figure wearing a red hat is standing in a wood among tall trees while the sky diffuses a pale greenish light.

Bequeathed by Henry L. Florence

Bequeathed by Henry L. Florence, 1916

Historical significance: Although this painting is signed 'Corot' lower right and is reminiscent of such work by the artist as Souvenir d'Italie, un pâtre dans une gorge, formerly Galleries Georges Petit, Paris (Schoeller, 1956, no. 15), it appears to be an imitation. The painting's attribution is however still subject to debate.
It was painted on a mahogany panel, a rare support for painting because of the price of this timber. Corot however painted either on canvas or panel. On the back of the panel is a printed trade label of Thomas McLean, dealer in works of art, 7 Haymarket, W.
This painting is reminiscent of Corot late style when he departed from representing the warm countryside of Italy to focus on the rendering of lights with strong areas of contrast.
Corot was famous for his direct observation of nature he nevertheless often re-elaborated in his studio. This artistic practice derived from his master's dictum, Michallon, to paint out of doors directly from the motif but was also inspired by the landscapes of Claude Lorrain (1604-1682) and 17th-century Dutch masters.
The museum owns two authentic paintings by Corot from his late period: CAI.65 and CAI.66.

Although France and England became the new centres of landscape art in the 18th century, the Italian and Dutch traditions retained their authority. However the Arcadian vision of Italy increasingly tended towards a more precise observation of nature. Some of the most exciting developments took place in Venice, in the soft scenes of Francesco Zuccarelli (1702-1788), inspired by Claude Lorrain (1604-1682), and the fresh, spontaneous landscapes of Marco Ricci (1676-1730). Wealthy patrons, often accompanied by artists, on The Grand Tour, created a market for veduta and capriccio paintings, respectively topographical and fantasist landscape paintings. Landscape conventions were further enriched by foreign artists working in Italy, responding both to the beauty of Italian light and scenery celebrated by the Latin poets and vividly captured in the most popular landscapes of Claude Lorrain, Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) and Gaspard Dughet (1615-1675).

Acquired as by Corot, this appears to be an imitation.

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875) was born in Paris and only at the age of 26 devoted himself to painting. He studied with two pupils of Pierre-Henri Valenciennes (1750-1819), first with Achille Etna Michallon (1796-1822) and later with Jean-Victor Bertin (1767-1842). He spent three years in Italy and specialised in landscape paintings. He enjoyed quickly a great success but the turning-point of his career, however, came with the accession to power of Louis-Napoléon who praised his art with the consequence that collectors and dealers began to be interested in his work.

This painting is considered as a imitation of Corot late period when he painted landscapes only vaguely reminiscent of places. It imitates Corot loose brushwork and sketchy figures almost overwhelmed by nature. The signature in the lower right hand-side is considered as false.

P.25-1917