Morning Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875)
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot – Morning
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Painter: Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
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It should be noted at once: the canvas is so old that even in the photo you can see how the paint is a little weathered and in some places darkened and therefore it is not always possible to understand what is happening on the canvas. Although, in fact, there is nothing so super unprecedented on this canvas. A simple morning of ordinary people who live away from their masters. By the way, it’s because of the darkened colors, you can not immediately discern the cottage in the thick of the forest.
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Description of the painting "Morning" by Camille Corot
It should be noted at once: the canvas is so old that even in the photo you can see how the paint is a little weathered and in some places darkened and therefore it is not always possible to understand what is happening on the canvas. Although, in fact, there is nothing so super unprecedented on this canvas.
A simple morning of ordinary people who live away from their masters. By the way, it’s because of the darkened colors, you can not immediately discern the cottage in the thick of the forest. It is already contoured, although maybe it was the author’s idea. But then the question is what the two figures in the middle of the painting in the foreground are doing? Are they having breakfast, or are they already working on sawing wood?
It is not clear, but both versions may very well be real. This big boulder thrown in the middle of the clearing could well play a role both as a table and as material for sawing. All the more so, that traces of the work begun, we already see in the form of a pair of sawn logs.
What is surprising is how finely, how accurately the sense of early morning is captured. The sky is not even blue yet, but somehow milky gray. The terrain in the distance is clearly in the mist. Only the trees in the foreground are sharply drawn, letting us know what time of year we are in - it is, most likely, still autumn. But it could also be spring. The second is preferable, because the lush green grass tells us that it has appeared quite recently. And a young tree, which stands in front, seems only - just beginning to gain color and it has its own crown.
Although we can imagine it differently: the leaves have fallen from this tree first, as harbingers of autumn, and the wood is prepared for the winter. Also, by the way, not a bad version. So the painting gives room for imagination, and the main thing is not to overinvent the situation. Otherwise you can imagine things that could not even occur to the author. Although who knows...
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Here we see a sprawling vista, seemingly limitless in its recession. A bare tree stands prominently on the left, its branches reaching towards the sky like skeletal fingers. Its lack of foliage contributes to the overall feeling of austerity and quietude. To the right, a dense thicket of trees obscures much of the background, creating a visual barrier that both frames and limits the view. The artist employed loose brushstrokes within this mass of vegetation, suggesting an impenetrable depth rather than precise detail.
In the foreground, two figures are seated on what appears to be a felled log or bench. Their small scale in relation to the landscape emphasizes their insignificance against the vastness of nature. They seem lost in contemplation, absorbed by the quietude of the scene. The indistinctness of their features prevents any specific identification; they function more as archetypes than individuals – perhaps representing humanity’s relationship with the natural world.
The distant horizon is barely discernible through a haze, hinting at an expansive space beyond what is immediately visible. A faint structure, possibly a tower or ruin, can be glimpsed on a rise in the middle ground, adding a touch of melancholy and suggesting the passage of time.
Subtly, the painting evokes themes of solitude, contemplation, and the cyclical nature of existence. The absence of vibrant color and dynamic action fosters an atmosphere of introspection. It is not a celebratory depiction of morning but rather a quiet observation of its subtle arrival – a moment suspended between darkness and light, hinting at both promise and melancholy. The scene suggests a yearning for connection with something larger than oneself, while simultaneously acknowledging the inherent isolation of human experience within the grand scheme of nature.