Lot Essay
Vachres dans une Prairie plante de Saules was painted in 1860-1865 at the peak of Corot's career. Hailed as the leading landscape painter of the time, Corot's studio was often crowded with critics, collectors, dealers and students. Often credited as the progenitor of Impressionism, Corot's method of painting en plein air drew the interest of Renoir, Monet, Sisley, Morisot and Pissarro--all of whom either experimented with Corot's technique or called themselves his "pupils". Even after his death, these artists were quick to credit Corot for his ground breaking work. In 1918, Renoir is recorded as saying "There you have the greatest genius of the contury, the greatest artist that ever lived."
With financial independence Corot was free to paint in his own manner. Unlike many of his contemporaries he did not have to rely on the Academie des Beaux Arts system for his advancement and remuneration. He quickly developed his own individual style wherein studies he made directly from nature were developed into finished, larger-scale works in his studio. These pictures were immediately popular with collectors and dealers alike. In 1840 the State made its first purchase of one of his works, the landscape subject Paysage: soleil couchant (La Cour d'Or, Musees de Metz). While Corot did not deviate from his highly individualistic style of painting, he did continue to work within the structures of official advancement and recognition, submitting works regularly to the Salon and accepting the title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. Indeed, in 1848 Corot was asked to participate in the reform of the Salon jury itself. As a member of the official Salon jury in 1864-1866 and 1870, Corot was able to advance his artistic vision through the promotion of his followers in the Salon. Eventually Corot became hors concours and therefore able to enter his own work into the Salon directly. Corot's rapid rise within these official circles culminated with his receiving a first class medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1855 for Effet de matin (Muse de Beaux-Arts, Bordeaux). During his lifetime he had his works exhibited in no less than thirteen cities in Europe and the United States.
The vast majority of Corot's Salon entries during the 1860s and 1870s were landscape subjects that were given generalized titles to emphasize their independence from meaningful incident. In 1864 Emperor Louis Napoleon bought Souvenir de Mortefontaine (Muse du Louvre, Paris). In a commentary about this painting the contemporary critic Thore wrote, "Corot is incomparable at creating poetic image with next to nothing. Even if it is barely painted, the impression is there, and it is communicated from the artist to the viewer" (quoted in ibid., p. 301). Corot's technique was further praised by the critic Maxime du Camp who wrote, "M. Corot has a remarkable quality that has eluded most of our artists today: he knows how to invent. His point of departure is always in nature but when he arrives at the interpretation of it, he no longer copies, he remembers it, and immediately reaches an altitude that is highter and entirely purified" (Quoted in ibid., p. 301).
Vachres dans une prairie plante de saules is a superb example of Corot's mature landscape paintings which came to be referred to as "musings on nature". It exemplifies Corot's mastery of rendering the impression of a scene that earned him the accolade the "poet of the landscape". Corot's technique was based on the harmonious balance of form and color in favor of strict narrative. As he explained, "The first two things to study are the form, then the values. For me those are the mainstays of art. Color and touch give the work its charm" (Quoted in Corot, p. 265). The vigorous brushwork enlivens the scene and transforms it from being a mere transcription of topography. While the scene is no doubt inspired by direct observation of nature, Helene Toussaint has noted a similarity between the motif of the screen of trees seen in the foreground of some of Corot's paintings with Japanese prints which were very much admired in Corot's circle during the 1860s (H. Toussaint, Hommage Corot: Peintures et dessins des collections francaises, exh. cat., Paris, 1975, p. 88). In a letter dated 2 November 1963, Corot humorously describes his approach to landscape painting: "Now I have no idea how to make a landscape that isn't a landscape. I cannot show trees otherwise than the way they grow, any more than a man without a head, trunk or legs" (Quoted in Corot, p. 416).
Martin Dieterle has examined and confirmed the authenticity of this painting.
With financial independence Corot was free to paint in his own manner. Unlike many of his contemporaries he did not have to rely on the Academie des Beaux Arts system for his advancement and remuneration. He quickly developed his own individual style wherein studies he made directly from nature were developed into finished, larger-scale works in his studio. These pictures were immediately popular with collectors and dealers alike. In 1840 the State made its first purchase of one of his works, the landscape subject Paysage: soleil couchant (La Cour d'Or, Musees de Metz). While Corot did not deviate from his highly individualistic style of painting, he did continue to work within the structures of official advancement and recognition, submitting works regularly to the Salon and accepting the title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. Indeed, in 1848 Corot was asked to participate in the reform of the Salon jury itself. As a member of the official Salon jury in 1864-1866 and 1870, Corot was able to advance his artistic vision through the promotion of his followers in the Salon. Eventually Corot became hors concours and therefore able to enter his own work into the Salon directly. Corot's rapid rise within these official circles culminated with his receiving a first class medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1855 for Effet de matin (Muse de Beaux-Arts, Bordeaux). During his lifetime he had his works exhibited in no less than thirteen cities in Europe and the United States.
The vast majority of Corot's Salon entries during the 1860s and 1870s were landscape subjects that were given generalized titles to emphasize their independence from meaningful incident. In 1864 Emperor Louis Napoleon bought Souvenir de Mortefontaine (Muse du Louvre, Paris). In a commentary about this painting the contemporary critic Thore wrote, "Corot is incomparable at creating poetic image with next to nothing. Even if it is barely painted, the impression is there, and it is communicated from the artist to the viewer" (quoted in ibid., p. 301). Corot's technique was further praised by the critic Maxime du Camp who wrote, "M. Corot has a remarkable quality that has eluded most of our artists today: he knows how to invent. His point of departure is always in nature but when he arrives at the interpretation of it, he no longer copies, he remembers it, and immediately reaches an altitude that is highter and entirely purified" (Quoted in ibid., p. 301).
Vachres dans une prairie plante de saules is a superb example of Corot's mature landscape paintings which came to be referred to as "musings on nature". It exemplifies Corot's mastery of rendering the impression of a scene that earned him the accolade the "poet of the landscape". Corot's technique was based on the harmonious balance of form and color in favor of strict narrative. As he explained, "The first two things to study are the form, then the values. For me those are the mainstays of art. Color and touch give the work its charm" (Quoted in Corot, p. 265). The vigorous brushwork enlivens the scene and transforms it from being a mere transcription of topography. While the scene is no doubt inspired by direct observation of nature, Helene Toussaint has noted a similarity between the motif of the screen of trees seen in the foreground of some of Corot's paintings with Japanese prints which were very much admired in Corot's circle during the 1860s (H. Toussaint, Hommage Corot: Peintures et dessins des collections francaises, exh. cat., Paris, 1975, p. 88). In a letter dated 2 November 1963, Corot humorously describes his approach to landscape painting: "Now I have no idea how to make a landscape that isn't a landscape. I cannot show trees otherwise than the way they grow, any more than a man without a head, trunk or legs" (Quoted in Corot, p. 416).
Martin Dieterle has examined and confirmed the authenticity of this painting.