A Souvenir of the Bas-Bréau

A Souvenir of the Bas-Bréau by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot is a compelling example of the artist's masterful handling of the unusual and experimental medium of cliché-verre. This process, which flourished among innovative artists in France during the 1850s and 60s, is a hybrid technique combining the spontaneity of drawing with the reproducibility of photography. It requires the artist to draw or scratch directly onto a glass plate coated with an opaque ground, creating lines where light can pass through. The resulting plate acts as a large-format negative, exposing light-sensitive paper to create a finished print that captures the immediacy of Corot's delicate line work.

Corot, a central figure in the Barbizon School, was known primarily for his lyrical, atmospheric oil paintings, but he also embraced this graphic medium to capture the subtle light and dense foliage of the Forest of Fontainebleau. The Bas-Bréau area, mentioned in the title, provided the landscape master with endless inspiration. This print focuses on a characteristic grouping of trees, rendered through the soft, tonal details afforded by the cliché-verre process, emphasizing the artist's focus on intimate natural observations.

Although the original glass plate was created during Corot’s active period, this specific impression was pulled and printed in 1921. This posthumous date attests to the enduring critical interest in Corot's graphic works and his technical experimentation well into the 20th century. Works such as A Souvenir of the Bas-Bréau are highly valued as early examples of photographic prints used as an artistic rather than purely documentary tool. The piece resides in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, helping preserve access to these significant 19th-century French prints, many of which are now entering the public domain.