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Lot Essay
Corot was an ardent traveler throughout his lifetime, and a direct result of these trips was a continuous observation of the countryside, whether it be in France, Italy or Switzerland. The diverse terrains, climates and light always provided Corot with fresh subjects for his landscape paintings. Une ferme de Dardagny depicts one of Corot's finest views of the small Swiss village of Dardagny. It was most likely painted between 1855 and 1857 during one of his last trips to Switzerland. In its delicate palette, gentle mood and inclusion of the charming young village girls in the lower right of the composition, Une ferme de Dardagny recalls Corot's earlier masterpiece (circa 1840-1850), Mormex-Haute Savoire-Au Fond, le môle (fig. 1). In each painting, Corot effectively evokes the rolling hills of the Swiss countryside. The fields are dotted with flowers and young peasant girls go about their daily tasks. In Une ferme de Dardagny, Corot has painted a clear, blue sky filled with puffy white clouds. The reflections on the buildings, especially striking on the center white house, reveal that it is a bright, sunny day. He has placed a young woman and child in the lower right of the composition and they serve as an anchor to balance the twisting tree in the lower left. It is apparent that Corot experimented with the figures in the composition as the picture shows various areas of pentimenti. There were originally three figures in the lower right, and a second figure group in the center of the bottom portion of the composition.
The earliest provenance of the painting may be traced to Boston. It begins with Corot's pupil, Achille François Oudinot, who lived there between 1876 and 1886, and made a living by selling Corot's paintings to many of Boston's most prominent citizens. He most likely sold this Corot to Thomas Jefferson Coolidge. It then descended in the family to Elenora Randolf Sears.
We are grateful to Martin Dieterle and Claire Lebeau for confirming the authenticity of this painting.
(fig. 1) Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Mormex (Haute-Savoie) - Au fond, le môle, Christie's, New York, 12 May 1999, lot 3.
The earliest provenance of the painting may be traced to Boston. It begins with Corot's pupil, Achille François Oudinot, who lived there between 1876 and 1886, and made a living by selling Corot's paintings to many of Boston's most prominent citizens. He most likely sold this Corot to Thomas Jefferson Coolidge. It then descended in the family to Elenora Randolf Sears.
We are grateful to Martin Dieterle and Claire Lebeau for confirming the authenticity of this painting.
(fig. 1) Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Mormex (Haute-Savoie) - Au fond, le môle, Christie's, New York, 12 May 1999, lot 3.