Sunday, September 19, 2010

Corot's later paintings.

images courtesy of artrenewal.org.

Here is a sampling of the later paintings of Corot. His work took on a gauzy softness and a pearly gray tone. The are hushed and elegant in their reserve. After years of being under appreciated and rejected repeatedly from the salon, Corot became very successful in his later years.

Corot never married and lived with his mother. He was an extremely generous man who gave away substantial sums of money to various charities and needy elderly artists. He supported a day care center in Paris and gave a house to the aged and blind artist Honore Daumier.


Because Corot's work was so identifiable and commercial there arose an entire industry devoted to copying it. He often lent paintings to copyist and occasionally would sign copies by students as his own work, after a few knowing touches of paint.

A famous joke made about Corot was that he painted about three thousand paintings, ten thousand of which are in this country.


Later in life he gave of him time as well surrounding himself with young students and was an important influence on the impressionist painters of the next generation.


13 comments:

Lucy said...

Thank you for this inspiring post.
What gorgeous paintings.

In great art the subject matter comes from inside the artist, with the exterior world a catalyst.

You've used the word "install" which is such a great word for the artist's choices, both technical and poetic.

Glad to hear Corot was such a nice guy!

Robert J. Simone said...

One of your better posts. Thanks.

Deborah Paris said...

I love Corot- from his early work in Italy to his later landscapes-I love them all. There is an excellent book called Corot in Italy for those interested in not only what he did there but the very established practice in the 1820's of aspiring history painters to go to Italy to paint plein air for a few years before returning to Paris to submit to the Salon- sort of like graduate work.

My favorite Corot quote:

"I hope with all my heart there will be painting in heaven"

barbara b. land of boz said...

Thank You Stape....!

Bill said...

Second the recommendation on "Corot in Italy," a very good read and an important perspective on the history of plein aire painting and its relation ship to Salon work.

Philip Koch said...

I much prefer Corot's plein air work.

On another note apparently when he gave Daumier a house late in his life, Daumier asked him why he was doing it (Daumier was a life long socialist and activist). Corot responded "to annoy the cops."

Stapleton Kearns said...

Lucy;
Thank you.Install seemed a good word, "stick in" seemed so pedestrian.
......Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Simone;
Hey, Thanks.
........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Deborah,
I wouldn't mind seeing some paintings in church first.
..............Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

barbara;
Thanks, Oklahoma!
...Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Bill;
Seconded and passed.
.......Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Philip;
Today the cops are unionized, they may well be socialists themselves.
.................Stape

tom martino said...

Thanks for an inspiring workshop, Stape! The farmland scenery was enticing to paint, although challenging with the changing light. The finale was the holy ground by the Lieutenant R. Thanks also for that informative walk and talk revolving about the Metcalf paintings! I'm also impressed to see you were able to meet another blog deadline after giving of your energy and enthusiastic teaching all day! I would indeed have felt like Savanorola on the rack -- but I'm older than you. I'm trying more of that technique you exposed us to on Sunday. Incidentally, Bernard Dunstan's book on Impressionist Techniques emphasizes what you mentioned about the difference between Seurat's post-impressionist dots and true impressionist brush handling. Thanks again!