
I was thrilled to be able to spend 14 hours visiting the Metropolitan Museum in New York last fall (and barely scratched the surface!). This lovely small painting by Camille Corot "The Curious Little Girl" (1860 Oil on Wood) called out to me. At first I thought the attraction was his use of values (darks and lights) but then I discovered it was the feeling the painting gave me - a little innocent, guilty pleasure, caught in the youthful act of doing something not quite right.
Though best known for his landscapes, Corot's figure paintings were appreciated for their unaffected grace and serenity. He is quoted as saying, "...While I strive for conscientious imitation, I yet never for an instant lose the emotion that has taken hold of me...Reality is one part of art; feeling completes it... Before any site and any object, abandon yourself to your first impression. If you have really been touched, you will convey to others the sincerity of your emotion." (Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot)
Though best known for his landscapes, Corot's figure paintings were appreciated for their unaffected grace and serenity. He is quoted as saying, "...While I strive for conscientious imitation, I yet never for an instant lose the emotion that has taken hold of me...Reality is one part of art; feeling completes it... Before any site and any object, abandon yourself to your first impression. If you have really been touched, you will convey to others the sincerity of your emotion." (Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot)
With this painting ("Mirror" original pastel 24"x36") I hope to convey the feeling I had when I saw this scene - stillness, a place magical in its serenity.