Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Portrait of a Young Girl, 1850 or 1859, oil on canvas, Chester Dale Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Title: Portrait of a Young Girl, 1850 or 1859
Artist: Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875)
This portrait by French 19th century master Corot is unusually small, approximately 10 inches high and 8 inches wide. The subject’s identity is unknown too as well as the date which could be 1859 or 1850, the final number indecipherable. Could it be a 9 or a 0? However, this work of art has had several owners including major collectors such as Dr. Albert C. Barnes, founder of the Barnes Foundation, an internationally renowned museum in Philadelphia and Chester Dale, who bequeathed Portrait of a Young Girl to the National Gallery of Art, shortly after his death in 1962.
So what is her appeal? The eyes that draw us directly into her private realm, the psychological and physical space that she inhabits? Does she also appear mature for her age, although she is most likely still in her teens? Corot, who is recognized as a genius of portraiture, has perhaps captured both her delicacy and strength? Her tiny body, clothed in a checked blouse or dress, its pattern sketchily defined contrasting to the pronounced realism of her face and features that dominate the painting.
In the public domain, courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
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