Italian Landscape (Site d'Italie, Soleil Levant)

Hazy, golden morning light bathes this peaceful landscape where peasants sing and dance in a field. The picturesque ruins of a Classical temple loom in the background just beyond a distinctive towering umbrella pine, a tree native to Italy. To the left, past the cows tranquilly wading in the reflective water, a town appears in the distance. The painting's title Site d'Italie (Italian Landscape) indicates that this scene, rather than documenting one particular place, is meant to evoke a general, idealized notion of the Italian countryside. Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot created this painting, and many of his compositions, from his memories and sketches done while traveling. His most popular works during his lifetime were these harmonious landscapes, which nostalgically recalled sites in Italy and called upon the idealized, Classical Italian landscape tradition pioneered by French painters like Claude Lorrain (1604/05-1682). This painting is likely a companion piece to Landscape with Lake and Boatman, a shadowy and solitary sunset scene; like Claude before him, Corot sometimes paired views that contrast different times of day.

Digital image and text courtesy of the Getty's Open Content Program.