DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63220#0021
COROT
temperament. M. Corot pere, pulled one way by the boy’s master,
who declared he could make nothing of his assistant, harassed on
the other hand by the boy himself, riding his painting hobby more
furiously than ever, dreaming only of frames and easels, mahlsticks,
brushes, and palettes—M. Corot pere at last decides, at the end of
eight years, to go into the matter, and see what can be done for his
nuisance of a son. A solemn council is held in the backshop in
the Rue du Bac ; the state of the family exchequer is examined, and
it is found possible to detach an allowance of 1500 francs in favour
of Camille, it being resolved that in no case is this amount to be
exceeded.
The lad was full of thanks, and, deeply moved, declared himself to
be the happiest of beings. But the realisation of his dream produced
a sort of stupor. I do not believe that Corot, now that he was free,
had any anxiety about what he was losing, about the magasin de
nouve antes and his set of patterns. Nevertheless, he has related how,
after having obtained his parents’ consent to become a painter, he
would walk about the quays, day after day, his portfolio under his
arm, but doing absolutely nothing. However, he soon made up his
mind. Installing himself by the Port Saint-Nicolas, near the spot
where to-day the London steamer is moored, he began to paint the
landscape of the City, as seen through the mist and smoke floating
like a transparent veil over the river.
What has become of his early efforts ? Probably they are covered
by other paintings ; perhaps they repose beneath some landscape at
present adorning the walls of some museum or private dwelling.
Several lithographs, beyond discovery now, also date from this
period, notably a Kermesse Flamande^ La Garde meurt et ne se rend pas,
and La Peste de Barcelone.
While the great artist that is to be is feeling his way—his re-
signed family showing no interest in his work, which they regard
as vain and useless—his efforts are followed with interest by his
mother’s shop assistants. The young work-girls escape from the
shop whenever they can, and cross the bridge to satisfy their
curiosity. Corot, who sometimes recalled these memories, used to
say that one of the girls, Mlle. Rose, “ came more often than her
companions”; and he added : “ She is still alive ; she has remained
unmarried and pays me a visit from time to time. Last week she
was here. Oh, my friends, what a change ! and what reflections it
arouses ! My painting has not budged; it is still young, it tells the
hour and the weather of the day when I did it—but Mlle. Rose and
I myself, what are we ? ”
c v
temperament. M. Corot pere, pulled one way by the boy’s master,
who declared he could make nothing of his assistant, harassed on
the other hand by the boy himself, riding his painting hobby more
furiously than ever, dreaming only of frames and easels, mahlsticks,
brushes, and palettes—M. Corot pere at last decides, at the end of
eight years, to go into the matter, and see what can be done for his
nuisance of a son. A solemn council is held in the backshop in
the Rue du Bac ; the state of the family exchequer is examined, and
it is found possible to detach an allowance of 1500 francs in favour
of Camille, it being resolved that in no case is this amount to be
exceeded.
The lad was full of thanks, and, deeply moved, declared himself to
be the happiest of beings. But the realisation of his dream produced
a sort of stupor. I do not believe that Corot, now that he was free,
had any anxiety about what he was losing, about the magasin de
nouve antes and his set of patterns. Nevertheless, he has related how,
after having obtained his parents’ consent to become a painter, he
would walk about the quays, day after day, his portfolio under his
arm, but doing absolutely nothing. However, he soon made up his
mind. Installing himself by the Port Saint-Nicolas, near the spot
where to-day the London steamer is moored, he began to paint the
landscape of the City, as seen through the mist and smoke floating
like a transparent veil over the river.
What has become of his early efforts ? Probably they are covered
by other paintings ; perhaps they repose beneath some landscape at
present adorning the walls of some museum or private dwelling.
Several lithographs, beyond discovery now, also date from this
period, notably a Kermesse Flamande^ La Garde meurt et ne se rend pas,
and La Peste de Barcelone.
While the great artist that is to be is feeling his way—his re-
signed family showing no interest in his work, which they regard
as vain and useless—his efforts are followed with interest by his
mother’s shop assistants. The young work-girls escape from the
shop whenever they can, and cross the bridge to satisfy their
curiosity. Corot, who sometimes recalled these memories, used to
say that one of the girls, Mlle. Rose, “ came more often than her
companions”; and he added : “ She is still alive ; she has remained
unmarried and pays me a visit from time to time. Last week she
was here. Oh, my friends, what a change ! and what reflections it
arouses ! My painting has not budged; it is still young, it tells the
hour and the weather of the day when I did it—but Mlle. Rose and
I myself, what are we ? ”
c v