The intimate drawing, Woman in a Hammock, was created by the French master Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot during the period cited between 1796 and 1800. This piece is classified as a drawing, executed meticulously using graphite on wove paper. Corot’s choice of this delicate medium allowed him to explore line, volume, and subtle gradations of shadow, skills that were essential components of traditional French academic training.
The subject, a female figure resting in the suspension of a hammock, captures a moment of quiet leisure and domestic intimacy. Corot established the woman's form using delicate applications of graphite, creating a soft contrast between the shadowed areas, which suggest volumetric depth, and the lighter regions where the texture of the wove paper provides subtle definition and highlights. The precise handling of the line work, typical of the drafting practices of the era, underscores the figure’s repose and the careful observation of the structural elements supporting the hammock.
While Corot is internationally celebrated for his transformative contributions to landscape painting later in the 19th century, this early work provides valuable insight into his rigorous foundational study of the human form. The piece reflects the artistic environment of the 1776 to 1800 period, which saw a gradual transition in French art from strict Neoclassicism toward early Romantic sensibilities, favoring intimate scale and personal, everyday domestic scenes over grand historical narratives.
This important historical work by Corot is preserved in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. The clarity and detail of this drawing ensure its lasting relevance for researchers studying the artist’s early career. As with many works of this era, high-resolution images of this drawing often reside within the public domain, making high-quality prints and digital reproductions easily accessible to students and enthusiasts interested in the evolution of French figurative drawing.
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