River View

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot

National Gallery of Art

The painting depicts a rural scene with a wide, cloudy blue sky over a riverbank. On the right there are tall, dark green trees that stretch up to the top of the painting. On the left, we see the river stretching into the distance, with a section of grassy ground closer to us. On the left, a woman with a white cloth over her head and a dark pink skirt stands facing us, next to a dirt path framed with tall grass and pale flowers. The woman is painted with loose, visible brushstrokes. To the left and right of her are two shapes that could be cows with their backs to us, both facing the water. The cow on the left is dark brown, while the one on the right is light brown with patches of white, and appears to stand in or right next to the shallow water. The color palette includes earthy tones such as greens, browns, and soft blues. The brushstrokes are visible, giving the scene a hazy look.