Ambush (L'Embuscade)

Ambush (L'Embuscade) is a highly significant work created by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot in 1858. Unlike the oil landscapes for which Corot is best known, this piece belongs to the classification of prints, specifically utilizing the experimental photographic method known as cliché-verre. This unique process involves drawing or etching directly onto a glass plate coated with a light-blocking substance. The plate is then placed over sensitized photographic paper and exposed to light, resulting in an image that blends the qualities of hand-drawn line work with the tonality and reproducibility of a photograph. This distinctive print is housed within the esteemed collection of the National Gallery of Art.

The mid-19th century witnessed a period of profound artistic experimentation, particularly among French artists seeking alternatives to traditional etching and lithography. Corot was a crucial figure among a small circle of Barbizon School associates who enthusiastically embraced the cliché-verre technique during the 1850s, actively bridging the gap between draftsmanship and the burgeoning field of photography. Dating specifically to the active period of 1851 to 1875, the composition of Ambush (L'Embuscade) suggests a narrative moment often embedded within Corot's signature pastoral or densely wooded settings, rendered here with dark, expressive lines characteristic of the technique.

This experimentation demonstrates Corot’s technical restlessness and his commitment to innovation late in his career. While his painted landscapes defined early Realist and Impressionist sensibilities, his foray into these atmospheric prints shows his willingness to explore new media for evocative effects. The relative scarcity of original cliché-verre prints makes this surviving impression an invaluable document of 19th-century French art history and the transitional relationship between drawing and early photography. Today, high-quality images of this historic work are often made available through museum initiatives, contributing to the growing body of art accessible within the public domain.