Saltarello (Saltarelle)

Saltarello (Saltarelle) is a significant print created by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot in 1858. This work belongs to a select collection of experimental prints produced by Corot during the period spanning 1851 to 1875. Corot was highly unusual among his contemporaries in adopting the novel technique of cliché-verre, or glass print, which was still in its infancy.

The cliché-verre process allowed Corot to combine the spontaneity of drawing with the mechanical reproduction capabilities of photography. The artist would draw or scratch his design directly onto a blackened glass plate (the cliché). This plate was then placed over sensitized paper and exposed to light, resulting in a unique photographic image that retains the fine line quality and expressive gestures of a handmade sketch. Corot was a key pioneer of this hybrid medium, which appealed to artists of the French Barbizon School who sought to create reproducible images without the laborious etching process. Corot's adoption of this technique underscores the transitional nature of art during this mid-19th-century era, bridging traditional draftsmanship with emerging photographic technologies.

Although the visual details are characteristic of Corot’s evocative landscape style, the title Saltarello (Saltarelle) implies a lively, potentially folkloric gathering, referencing the energetic Italian dance popular in the 19th century. While Corot is primarily known for his atmospheric landscape paintings, this particular medium allowed him to explore line, shadow, and movement with distinct immediacy. This rare example of his printmaking skill demonstrates his creative versatility and willingness to embrace technical innovation. This important artwork is classified as a print and resides in the extensive collection housed at the National Gallery of Art. As this piece falls within the established timeline of historical artworks, high-resolution reproductions of these early prints are frequently available in the public domain for scholarly study.