Jeune Femme Jouant De La Mandoline 

Camille Corot painted "Jeune Femme Jouant De La Mandoline" with oil on canvas sometime in the mid-19th century. Corot was a successful Salon painter in France, and his art provides insight into the art world of his time. Notice how Corot depicts not only the woman with the mandolin, but also an easel with a canvas on it. How does this imagery reflect the institutions of art in France at this time? Is Corot's painting a subtle commentary on the nature of artistic creation? Corot carefully references the art of the past. The woman's dress, for example, appears to reference styles from earlier centuries. To what extent is this painting a reflection on the history of art itself? Historical archives and studies of Corot's life and work will give us even greater understanding of the social context in which he made his art. With these research tools, we can better understand the artist's intentions.