The Youngest Daughter of M. Edouard Delalain 1850

Camille Corot made this portrait of the Youngest Daughter of M. Edouard Delalain with oil on canvas. Notice how Corot used the materiality of paint itself to convey the texture of skin, hair and cloth. The layered brushstrokes give depth to the girl's dress, while the delicate blending creates a sense of soft, youthful skin. The painting's subdued tones and loose brushwork give an intimate glimpse into the life of a bourgeois family. The tools and techniques required to produce such a work would involve sourcing materials and preparing them, from canvas stretching and priming, to the careful mixing of oil paint. Beyond the technical skill needed for this work, Corot was part of a social world in which artists were patronized by wealthy families like the Delalains, capturing their likenesses for posterity. Looking closely at the materials and the making process helps us appreciate how art is deeply intertwined with the fabric of society.