The Leaning Tree Trunk

This idyllic view of elegant trees and a peaceful lake is one of a number of related scenes painted by Corot at this period. The lake is one of those at Ville-d'Avray near Paris, the location of Corot's family home, and the trees are based on a drawing he had made at Civita Castellana during his first visit to Italy in 1825-8.

In this particular example, which was painted late in the series, Corot has reduced the single birch trunk at the right and the trunk reaching out across the picture to stylised, decorative elements. Both the man in his punt and the woman reaching up to gather twigs make frequent appearances in the artist's work. The streaks of orange in the boat and in the woman's cap create bright accents in the pervading silvery green tonality of the scene.

Credit: Salting Bequest, 1910