The Curious Little Girl. Artist: Camille Corot (French, Paris 1796-1875 Paris). Dimensions: 16 1/4 x 11 1/4 in. (41.3 x 28.6 cm). Date: 1860-64.
Although Corot's celebrity rests on his landscapes, his contemporaries were partial to his figure paintings, especially scenes drawn from contemporary life that he made toward the end of his career. Appreciated for their unaffected grace and serenity--what the French critics called naïveté--these works were eagerly sought by collectors. Corot's friends recalled that he looked forward to painting them as a refreshing break from routine. The girl depicted here resembles Emma Dobigny, who later became his favorite model.