An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Peasant Girl at the Springc. 1860-65
Artist: Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
French, 1796 - 1875
29 1/2 x 19 1/4 in. (74.93 x 48.9 cm) (canvas)
37 x 28 x 3 1/2 in. (93.98 x 71.12 x 8.89 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
France
19th century
Bequest of Mrs. Gertrude Hill Gavin
In a modest gallery filled with whispers of the past, one painting quietly hangs, its colors shimmering with the weight of history. This particular piece once graced the walls of the illustrious James J. Hill, a name that carries the echoes of a golden age in America. Born in 1838, Hill was no ordinary man; he was a railroad magnate, a visionary who sculpted the paths across Minnesota and beyond, binding communities together in the process.
His love for art was as expansive as the railroads he built, fueling a collection of European paintings that forms the very foundation of the Institute's remarkable nineteenth-century holdings. Each brushstroke is a testament to the world as Hill saw it—broad, interconnected, and vibrant. When you gaze upon this painting, you’re not just viewing art; you're stepping into the shoes of a man whose ambition stretched across landscapes and time.
As the light filters through the gallery, illuminating the canvas, one can almost hear the distant sound of train whistles and the chatter of travelers discussing far-off destinations. In this serene atmosphere, the painting whispers its own story: a narrative of dreams realized amid the clatter of wheels and iron and the rich tapestry of European artistry woven together with American ambition.
Here, it remains, a quiet sentinel of another era—an artifact connecting our present with the echoes of a bygone time, forever reminding us of the beauty found in both art and the journeys we undertake.
About the artist
Inspiring wonder through the power of art. The Minneapolis Institute of Art enriches the community by collecting, preserving, and making accessible outstanding works of art from the world’s diverse cultures.
The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.
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