Ville d'Avray: Pond with Boatman, Evening

Ville d'Avray: Pond with Boatman, Evening by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (French, 1796-1875) is a masterful study of light and atmosphere created between 1862 and 1863. This delicate print exemplifies the artist's late career exploration into intaglio techniques, combining the precise linearity of etching with the rich, tonal possibilities of drypoint. The work was printed on fine cream China paper, which was subsequently carefully laid down onto a backing of white wove card to enhance the contrast and protect the fragile impression.

The subject matter focuses on Corot’s beloved natural retreat near Paris, Ville d'Avray, a location that offered endless inspiration for his evocative landscapes. The composition centers on a quiet pond at dusk, where the shadowy figure of a lone boatman serves to emphasize the scale and tranquility of the water and surrounding foliage. Corot utilizes the drypoint technique skillfully to create soft burr around the forms, mimicking the way moisture-laden evening air diffuses light and obscures clear detail.

Though primarily celebrated for his oil paintings, Corot produced a significant, though small, body of prints, often using the medium to further refine and deepen the melancholic mood characteristic of his mature style. This piece offers valuable insight into the French printmaking practices of the mid-19th century and the artist’s unique ability to render fleeting moments of natural beauty. This significant impression is classified as a print and resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, making the study of this key aspect of Corot's technique accessible for public domain scholarship and viewing.