Trees on the Mountain

"Trees on the Mountain" is a contemplative landscape executed by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot. Although the specific impression dates to 1921, this print originates from the artist’s groundbreaking mid-19th century engagement with cliché-verre. This specialized medium, which Corot championed among a circle of artists in France, is a hybrid process combining drawing and photography. The artist draws or scratches directly onto a coated glass plate, which is then exposed to light and developed photographically on light-sensitive paper, resulting in prints that possess the tonal sensitivity of a photograph but the free, atmospheric quality of a sketch.

Corot used this innovative method to render the tranquil, rustic subject matter for which he is famous. The delicate line work, characteristic of the cliché-verre technique, highlights the dense texture of the foliage and the silhouette of the trees against the light sky. The composition reflects the sensibilities of the Barbizon school, emphasizing a direct and intimate study of nature.

The 1921 date confirms that this impression was published posthumously, decades after Corot's death in 1875, reflecting the continued critical interest in his graphic oeuvre. Since the initial glass plate negative is historical, this artwork and similar prints are widely viewed as being in the public domain, making Corot's influential experiments available for broad study. This piece is housed in the distinguished collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, representing a key moment in 19th-century French prints and the transition toward photographic artistry.