Corot - Washerwoman, ca. 1850. Portrait painting.

Camille Corot (1796–1875) was the son of a very wealthy clothing merchant. After studying at Rouen College, at the age of 26, he was given financial freedom so that he could devote himself to painting

Born in Paris, Corot trained as a draper before deciding to pursue art. He studied under several prominent artists, including Jean-Victor Bertin and Achille Etna Michallon. Corot is best known for his landscape paintings, which often feature soft, hazy atmospheres and delicate, muted colours. He was particularly interested in capturing the effects of light and atmosphere in his work. Corot's style was influenced by both the classical landscape tradition and the Romantic movement. In addition to his landscapes, Corot also painted portraits and figure studies. He was a prolific artist, producing over 3,000 paintings during his lifetime. Corot's work was not always well received by critics during his lifetime, but he gained recognition and popularity in the later years of his career. He is now regarded as one of the most important French landscape painters of the 19th century.