Ville-d'Avray: Entrance to the Wood

The fresh colour and deftly observed play of light and shadow on the rutted track make this one of Corot's most attractive landscapes. The warm hues of the seated figure catch the eye, as do the flourishing branches of the central prominent tree. Corot was very familiar with the country around Ville-d'Avray, for his family lived in this small town to the west of Paris. This painting was probably made just before Corot left for Italy in 1825. It was retouched around 1850. The composition and treatment of light may also reflect the artist's response to Constable's paintings, exhibited in Paris in the mid 1820s.