The Mill at Cuincy, Near Douai

"The Mill at Cuincy, Near Douai," created by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot in 1871, stands as an evocative example of the artist's engagement with graphic media during his later career. This work is classified as a print, specifically a transfer lithograph rendered in a rich brown ink. The technique involved transferring the design from a prepared surface onto the lithographic stone, allowing Corot greater freedom and spontaneity than direct etching, resulting in the characteristic textural softness of the final image. This print was expertly produced by Lemercier et Compagnie, a highly respected French printing house known for its technical excellence and collaborations with contemporary artists during the 19th century. This specific impression is printed on delicate light gray China paper, which has been carefully laid down onto a sturdier sheet of white wove paper.

Corot, though primarily recognized for his foundational oil paintings of atmospheric landscapes, embraced reproductive media later in his career, producing a significant body of graphic works. This piece captures a picturesque setting near Douai in Northern France, utilizing the soft tonal capabilities inherent to lithography to achieve the diffuse light and subtle sfumato characteristic of his finest canvases. Executed shortly after the tumultuous period of the Franco-Prussian War, this tranquil view reflects Corot's enduring focus on capturing the quiet beauty and timelessness of the French countryside. This important example of 19th-century prints is preserved in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, and as a masterwork now in the public domain, it remains vital for the study of landscape painting and graphic arts in France.