Agostina

1866

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot

Artist, French, 1796 - 1875

Shown from the knees up, a woman stands facing us as she turns her head to look off to our right in this vertical portrait painting. The woman has pale, peachy skin, deeply shadowed, hooded eyes, and a straight nose. Shadows fill the hollow of her high cheekbones, and she has a thin face. Her black hair is plaited and tied up and back under brown bands. Earrings hang from each ear, and she wears two strands of white and gray pearls and three red necklaces. Her shoulders slope down, and her arms hang by her sides. The garnet-red bodice of her dress is cut low over a white undergarment. Red straps loop up over her mostly bare shoulders. Sapphire-blue sleeves leave the shoulders exposed and have black bands at the cuffs, which fall short of her wrists. An apron tied around her waist is loosely painted with deep red flowers and dark green leaves against a parchment-brown background. Her long skirt is midnight blue in the shadows. She holds a shimmering object in her right hand, to our left, and rests her other hand on the brown stone wall that runs behind her thighs. A tree edges into the scene along the right, and a few white stucco houses with flat, red roofs cluster on a rocky hill in the distance behind the woman, to our left. The cliffs span most of the background and end in a sheer face near the right edge of the canvas. The sky is tinged with peach at the horizon glimpsed at the foot of the cliff but is mostly steely gray. The artist signed the lower left corner, “COROT.”

Media Options

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This model was likely an immigrant from the rural region near Rome. Corot dressed her in traditional costume and placed her in an Italian landscape. He used strong darks and lights to paint her solid shoulders, deep-set eyes, and chiseled nose. The artist captures her dignified, monumental presence.

Corot was the most influential French landscape painter of the 19th century. He also excelled at figure paintings, though they belonged to a more private practice. He rarely showed or sold them. Agostina is the largest and among the best-known examples.

On View

West Building Main Floor, Gallery 90

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Chester Dale Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 132.4 x 97.6 cm (52 1/8 x 38 7/16 in.)
    framed: 173.7 x 138.4 cm (68 3/8 x 54 1/2 in.)

  • Accession

    1963.10.108

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Breysse, Paris, by 1875.[1] Jean-Baptiste Faure [1830-1914], Paris; (his sale, Hôtel Drouot, 29 April 1878, no. 15). Jules Paton, Paris, by 1884.[2] Acquired 1906 by (Boussod Valadon et Cie., successeur de Goupil et. Cie, Paris); sold 1908 to Josse et Gaston Bernheim;[3] in the private collection of Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, by 1909; purchased June 1931 through (Etienne Bignou) by Chester Dale [1883-1962], New York;[4] bequest 1963 to NGA.
[1] Lent by Breysse to Exposition de l'oeuvre de Corot, Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1875, no. 52, as Etude de femme.
[2] According to Chester Dale papers in NGA curatorial files. The painting does not appear in the only recorded sale of the Paton collection, held 24 April 1883.
[3] Goupil et. Cie/Boussod Valadon et. Cie Stock Book no. 15, p. 165, no. 28865, Getty Research Institute.
[4] Lent by Bernheim-Jeune to Rétrospective de figures de Corot, Salon d'Autumne, Paris, 1909, no. 11, as l'Italienne Agostina, according to Chester Dale papers in NGA curatorial files. A photograph of this painting is included among the albums from the gallery of Etienne Bignou now at the Documentation, Musée d'Orsay, Paris (copies in NGA curatorial files), which suggests that Bignou was in possession of the picture at one time, probably in conjunction with Bernheim-Jeune. A letter dated 7 August 1931 from Bignou to M. Knoedler & Co., New York, details shipping instructons, M. Knoedler & Co. Records, Getty Research Institute (copy NGA curatorial files).

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1875

  • Exposition de l'oeuvre de Corot. Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1875, no. 52, as Etude de femme

1907

  • Exposition d'art français, Goupil Gallery, London, 1907 (?)

1909

  • Rétrospective de figures de Corot (Salon d'Automne), Paris, 1909, no. 11, as l'Italienne Agostina (according to NGA curatorial files)

1917

  • Exposition, Le Musée de Bâle, Basel, 1917 (according to NGA curatorial files)

1925

  • Exposition d'oeuvres des XIXe et XXe siècles, Galeries Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, 1925, no. 16, repro. on cover

1928

  • Portraits et figures de femmes--Ingres à Picasso, Galerie La Renaissance, Paris, 1928, no. 43, repro.

1965

  • The Chester Dale Bequest, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1965, unnumbered checklist.

1979

  • French Romanticism, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1979, unnumbered checklist.

2010

  • From Impressionism to Modernism: The Chester Dale Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, January 2010-January 2012, unnumbered catalogue, repro.

2018

  • Corot: Women, Musee Marmottan Monet, Paris; National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2018, no. 10, repro (shown only in Washington).

Bibliography

1875

  • Daliphard. E. L'Art II (1875): repro. p. 257.

1905

  • Robaut, Alfred, and Etienne Moreau-Nélaton. L'Oeuvre de Corot. Catalogue raisonné et illustré. 5 vols. Paris, 1905: 3:114, no. 1562 as L'Italienne Agostina.

1906

  • Gensel, Walther. Corot und Troyon. Leipzig, 1906: pl. 45.

1907

  • Mourey, Gabriel. "Une Exposition d'art français à Londres." Les Arts 66 (June 1907): 24, repro.

1909

  • Bouyer, Raymond. "Corot, peintre de figures." La Revue de l'art ancien et moderne II (1909): 204.

  • Goujon, Pierre. "Corot, peintre de figures." Gazette des Beaux-Arts II (1909): 480.

1919

  • L'Art Moderne et quelques aspects de l'art d'autrefois. Paris, Bernheim-Jeune, 1919: pl. 35.

1925

  • The Arts VIII, no. 2 (August 1925): 60, repro.

  • Oppo, Cipriano. Corot. Paris, 1925: 20, repro., as Portrait de femme.

1926

  • Jourdain, F. Le Salon d'Automne. Paris, 1926: 66.

1928

  • Alexandre, Arsene. "Portraits et figures de femmes, Ingres à Picasso." La Renaissance XI, no. 7 (July 1928): 261, fig. 43.

1930

  • Bernheim de Villers, G. Corot, peintre de figures. Paris, 1930: 62, 69, no. 51, repro. and frontispiece.

  • Meier-Graefe, Julius. Corot, mit 153 Tafeln in Lichtdruck. Berlin, 1930: 100-102, pl. CXI.

1931

  • Mauclair, Camille. Corot. Berlin, 1931: 56, repro.

  • Faure, Emile. Corot. Paris, 1931: pl. 65; 2nd ed., Paris, 1938: pl. 50.

1936

  • Hazama, I. Corot. Tokyo, 1936: pl. 50.

  • Jamot, Paul. Corot. Paris, 1936: repro. 45.

  • Bazin, Germain. "Corot et son oeuvre." L'Amour de l'art 18 (1936): fig 91.

1938

  • Pemberton, Murdock. "Ambassador to Art." Esquire (February 1938): repro.

1941

  • Catalogue of French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1941: 2-3, pl. IV.

  • National Gallery of Art. Art Series: French Painting. Description of Paintings for Art Series Number 7 [of 9]. Programs of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1941-1944. Washington, 1941-1944(?): 2, 5.

  • Frankfurter, Alfred M. "Now the Great French 19th Century in the National Gallery." Art News 40, no. 17 (December 15-31, 1941):repro. p. 17

1942

  • Sater, Katherine. "Great Paintings Shown At National Gallery." The Columbus (Ohio) Citizen (13 December 1941): 4, repro.

  • French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1942: 19, repro.

  • Dale, Chester. "The Golden Century of French Art." The New York Times Magazine 17 May 1942: 20, repro.

1944

  • Cairns, Huntington, and John Walker, eds. Masterpieces of Painting from the National Gallery of Art. New York, 1944: 156, color repro.

  • French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1944: color frontispiece, 19, repro.

  • Jewell, Edward Alden. French Impressionists and their Contemporaries Represented in American Collections. New York, 1944: repro. 49.

1946

  • Pierre Courthion. Corot, raconté par lui-même et par ses amis. Geneva, 1946: repro. opposite 108.

1948

  • Kimball, Fisk and Lionello Venturi. Great Paintings in America. New York, 1948: 168, pl. 77.

1951

  • Bazin, Germain. Corot. Paris, 1951: 112.

  • Morse, John D. "Corot as a Figure Painter." The American Artist 15 (November 1951): 28, repro. 26.

1953

  • French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1953: 27, repro.

1955

  • Cooke, Hereward Lester. Galeria Nacional de Washington. Madrid, 1955: 323, no. 77, repro. (German ed., 1971: 51, color repro. 50).

1956

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. New York, 1956: 31.

1957

  • Baud-Bovy, Daniel. Corot. Geneva, 1957: 126.

1960

  • The National Gallery of Art and Its Collections. Foreword by Perry B. Cott and notes by Otto Stelzer. National Gallery of Art, Washington (undated, 1960s): 9, repro. 3.

  • Walker, John. A Colorslide Tour of the National Gallery of Art, Washington. New York, 1960: no. 26, repro.

1963

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. New York, 1963 (reprinted 1964 in French, German, and Spanish): 246, repro.

1965

  • Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 31.

  • Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Paintings & Sculpture of the French School in the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 40, repro.

1966

  • Cairns, Huntington, and John Walker, eds. A Pageant of Painting from the National Gallery of Art. 2 vols. New York, 1966: 2: 412, color repro.

1967

  • Dauberville, Henry. La Batille de l'impressionisme. Paris, 1967: 542, repro.

1968

  • National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 23, repro.

  • Gandolfo, Giampaolo et al. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Great Museums of the World. New York, 1968: 75-76, color repro. (Italian ed., Milan, 1968: 75-76, color repro.).

1972

  • Hours, Madeleine. Jean-Baptise-Camille Corot. New York, 1972: 145, repro.

1974

  • Walker, John. Self Portrait with Donors: Confessions of an Art Collector. Boston, 1974: 166-167, repro.

1975

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 78, repro.

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. New York, 1975: 430, no. 619, color repro. 431.

1978

  • Sinjo, Y and H. Harado. Corot, Courbet (The Book of Great Masters). Tokyo, 1978: 139, pl. 26.

1979

  • Leymarie, Jean. Corot. Geneva, 1979: 137, repro.

1984

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 426, no. 607, color repro.

  • Hours, Madeleine. Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. New York, 1984: 108-109, repro.

1985

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 97, repro.

1988

  • Selz, Jean. La vie et l'oeuvre de Camille Corot. Courbevoie, 1988: 220,

1991

  • Kopper, Philip. America's National Gallery of Art: A Gift to the Nation. New York, 1991: 239, 246.

1992

  • Feist, Peter H. Malerei des Impressionismus. 2 vols. Cologne, 1992: I: 286, repro.

2000

  • Eitner, Lorenz. French Paintings of the Nineteenth Century, Part I: Before Impressionism. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 2000: 61-67, color repro.

2006

  • Brettell, Richard R., and Stephen F. Eisenman. Nineteenth-Century Art in the Norton Simon Museum. New Haven and London, 2006: 111 fig. 23d.

Inscriptions

lower left: COROT

Wikidata ID

Q18177969

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