The Gardens of Horace

The Gardens of Horace is a significant example of the graphic output of Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, executed using the unusual photographic technique known as cliché-verre. Although Corot died in 1875, this specific impression is dated 1921, attesting to the enduring popularity and posthumous printing of the artist's graphic works. The medium itself is a hybrid, bridging traditional drawing with the nascent technology of photography, a practice embraced by Corot and other members of the Barbizon School in 19th century France.

The cliché-verre process involves the artist drawing onto a darkened glass plate, scraping away the coating to expose lines of glass. The resulting plate is then used as a photographic negative, printed directly onto light-sensitive paper. This technique yields deep, velvety tones, perfectly suited to the atmospheric and often melancholic landscapes for which Corot is renowned.

This piece, which alludes to the classical poet Horace, suggests an idealized, pastoral setting typical of Corot’s aesthetic. The work encapsulates the artist’s influential role in transitioning French landscape painting from neoclassical formalism toward a more subjective, lyrical approach. Corot’s exploration of light and shadow, evident in this complex print, showcases his technical versatility beyond traditional oil painting. Pieces like this are essential references for the history of printmaking and demonstrate Corot’s commitment to technical experimentation. This fine impression of The Gardens of Horace is housed in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.