Mantes 1865

Here we see Corot's depiction of Mantes, likely created sometime in the mid-19th century, using oil on canvas. Corot lived through a period of massive social upheaval in France. The urban, industrial, and political revolutions that were reshaping French society were also transforming the art world. What might look to us like a simple landscape, a vision of nature untouched by the modern world, was in its time a commentary on these rapid changes. He often favored painting outdoors. The Barbizon school of painting, where Corot spent time, were reacting against the official art taught in the French academies. By choosing to paint landscapes that reflected the countryside, these artists were looking at the politics of imagery in art. It made people ask the question what the public role of art was. Social and institutional contexts in France were shifting, and Corot used his artistic skills to provide commentary on the culture of his time. Further research into the Barbizon school and the changing landscapes in France would help us understand this work better.