Bacchanal at the Spring: Souvenir of Marly-le-Roi

The carefully rendered topographical details typical of Corot’s early Barbizon landscapes later gave way to poetic visions of nature. In such “souvenirs” he combined memories of specific locales—here, the forest of Marly-le-Roi, west of Paris—with timeless, imagined scenes evoking myth or antiquity. In this forest clearing, figures dance, lounge, and play instruments—a child even playfully rides a leopard—conveying the festivity and merriment characteristic of bacchanalia. “Father Corot” was deeply influential for later artists including Van Gogh, who recalled how Corot’s landscapes have “a stillness and calm and peace that enchants.”