A Woman Gathering Faggots at Ville-d’Avray (ca. 1871–74)

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot's painting, "A Woman Gathering Faggots at Ville-d’Avray," beautifully captures a serene, yet poignant scene of rural life in the late 19th century. Created around 1871 to 1874, this artwork is an enchanting example of Corot's skill in landscape painting fused with human subjects.In the painting, a woman is depicted in a dense, wooded area near the town of Ville-d’Avray, immersed in the laborious task of gathering faggots (bundles of sticks and twigs) from the forest floor. Her figure, bent under the weight of her task, is a subtle but powerful evocation of the toil that rural workers endured. She wears a traditional cloth around her head and a long dress, which blend harmonically with the natural tones of the landscape.The background reveals a soft-focus view of a distant castle partially obscured by the misty atmosphere and the interplay of light and shadow, masterfully painted by Corot. The trees around her are rendered with loose, expressive brushstrokes that suggest the movement of leaves in a gentle breeze, creating a dynamic contrast with the stillness of the woman.Corot’s use of a muted palette emphasizes the tranquility of the setting and the timelessness of nature, while the hints of blue sky and the subtle illumination on the castle suggest a narrative of endurance and perhaps hope in the daily lives of common folk.