Fraîcheurs du soir c. 1860 - 1865

Camille Corot painted this oil on canvas, Fraîcheurs du soir, sometime in the mid-19th century. Corot was a master of capturing light and atmosphere. His loose brushwork gives a sense of spontaneity and immediacy. Note the textures he creates using different brushstrokes. The weight of the paint brings the scene to life. The painting has a social context to consider. Corot came from a bourgeois family. He had the privilege to devote his time to art rather than manual labor. This freedom allowed him to develop his unique style and vision. He painted landscapes during a time when the art world valued historical or mythological subjects. His focus on capturing fleeting moments in nature elevated the status of landscape painting. Looking at the materials and the making process, we can see that Corot challenged the traditional hierarchies of art. He found beauty in the everyday world, and his paintings remind us to appreciate the simple pleasures of life.