L'Environs de Rome

Camille Corot

Pre Impressionist Realist artist Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot began his printmaking efforts as a lithographer in 1837 and in 1845 began to work with etching, creating 14 over a 20 year period. He did many of his plates "plein air", working on them on-site and printing them back in the studio. The lines are simple and direct. The image is one of four etchings he did in Italy. It has been suggested that Corot never meant to sell his etchings to the public and were given away to friends or published by art journals.

Between 1853 and 1874 Corot turned his attention to the photographic process "Cliché Verre" creating 65 images in the medium.

The plate for "L'Environs de Rome" was “bitten” by Félix Bracquemond; a second state was printed for 'La Société des Aquafortistes', no. 211, 4 (7) March 1866 with the title, number "211" and publisher Cadart's address in the margin.

This third state has the lettering removed and there is some retouching in the background and a few lines added to the hill and foliage. The location of the plate is unkown.