The Island and Bridge of San Bartolomeo, Rome

The Island and Bridge of San Bartolomeo, Rome by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot is a foundational painting created during the artist's formative first trip to Italy, which spanned from 1825 to 1828. Corot, a central figure in the lineage of French landscape artists, executed this piece in oil on paper, a portable support suitable for fieldwork, which was subsequently mounted onto canvas for preservation. This method underlines the importance of plein-air study among European artists traveling to Rome during the period between 1801 to 1825.

The painting captures a structural view of the Tiber River in Rome, focusing specifically on the ancient Ponte Fabricio connecting the mainland to the Tiber Island (Isola Tiberina). Unlike his later, more atmospheric works, Corot employs a clear, classicizing realism in this composition. He emphasizes the solidity and volume of the historical architecture, using sharp observation and defined shadows to articulate the mass of the buildings lining the water’s edge. The light is bright and objective, typical of the Roman midday sun, defining the texture of the stone and the reflections on the water.

This early work reveals Corot’s training in the classical tradition, valuing rigorous composition and tonal structure above the fluid romanticism that would soon dominate landscape painting. The work’s commitment to capturing the factual reality of the city views the artist encountered was essential for his development as a master. The painting currently resides in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, where it serves as a critical example of the artist’s youthful rigor. Due to the historical and artistic significance of this piece, high-resolution images and prints are often made accessible to scholars through public domain initiatives.