New-York tribune., 1875-02-24
OBITUARY.
JgAN-BApTIsTE-CAMlLLE coRor.

We shall not be far wrong we believe If w
say cruel hand Of the that lately DESC
lated felt today In the deaths OF Met IN
the almost equally cruel blow which has Just deprived
his country OF Corot. We ourselves as nation had
experience OF the fact that warn which the sent
ments largely concerned counts Its long after
tho merely formal end Of surrenders and treaties has
been reached. and hearts highstrung and sympar
thctc break the years run on. and show no came
why the man dies. But II the case
with us, with whom victory remained and the fatal
prosperity she brings in her deuding hands.
what must 1t be with France. where desoate homes
and runed fortunes. and shorn territory, and the
Of shame and prdo brought low. arc
all she has left OF that fairy gold with which the
ducng Empire filed her lap. The world sometimes has
its Jest French patriotism. and laughs at tho hide
bound ChauvInsm that knows no other land than
France and for other and counts all the other
peoples OF the world but hewers Of wood and drawcrs
OF water her and hers. But good deal be said
for this Cnauyinsm, too and certain IL IA that the
French love Of their country has an Intensity with
which love OF other peoples for their country can
compare II permeaes all society, from tho hshost 10
tho lowest and creates everything 10 Art ana
Literature. and even invades and conqiers domains
where Chauvinlsm is supposed TO be unknown-tbe
Church and the halls OF Science. And no Fienchmen
are more sensitive TO this love OF country Tor ls own
sake not for what has been done In IT, nor FOR whatn
being done IT, but for ts sake, as men love thor
have suffered accordingly most bitterly, most en-
durpgIy but most silently for how could they give ex'
preston the pain that sapped their ves' Tor woat
their mother France has passed through French afS
ists o class. more near akin 70 the nus' Vpa
than those Of other nations they have more cnnd'
like natures, moro freedom from conventional rules
tuot in tho world, perhaps but among tnem'
selves or In that private life which tho Frencn
above all people hold precious and ihviois~h
and they arc sensitive than others 10 ha'
and saddens the world In which they lve But from
whatever cause is certain that the years since tns
Pruhsian war have been une1amped IN o,sa''
10 Art in France Regnauit. Zamacos Fortuny Si"o''
and now Corot-the only consolation for country
called to bear succession Of such losses Is the glory OIL
wing produced such men. And OF this glory no''
In Art, but IN Literature and In Science FRANCO "aa
beaped her laures high az might wen orins oa'.
green leaves aud summer scents to and moro ~asoS
with Winter than she. ,,..
,7os He was nut to school the town OF Rouen' ana
wbap be had finished his mesger studies no WAS hV
nrenticed to cloth merchant, aud remained In 'ns
congenial employ until he was twentySiA "non ""ux
out that he was made to be painter. no en'ereu s'
studio OF Michallon against the VIII OF nis 'a""''
M,ohallon dying, Corot sought tho studio Oh 'E".
pertin and after little went to Italy and remaineo
ha aevera years. In 1927 he exhibited for the nrsI
time at the Salon. and his frat pictures dec'a'eg
his individuality, and prophesed DIS 'a"es
n he waited long for that Iamo
grow II was because hia genius was OF 90 gecae ss
unwonted Sort 1t only here and there caught an eye
a first or drew tmd feet to Its side. and was oversrowp
and hid by coarser stronger growths OF At anu "u'
bide it's time CorOts work at It's best was all DIS o"n
look a, nature out OF eyes free OF influence and ~
untaught By what other men have learned as 'a"s
or a nightingale had learned to translate its though
and make pictures to show US how tins encnantlh2
world looks to IL. COrot lived In worid wnere
moonlight and vapor aud trees that were tho trees"
fable-Q ieen Dido's willow, Daphnes aurei-usurp sne
place OF tho landscape which Is our human naiufes
daily food We put our hand In his and take his wofo
for it, and let persuade US that such word
and once having followed him TO VIC believe 10 u"
firmly "a he himself With all bis mannerisms ne was
hardly mannerist and much as his pictures rese"os
one another there 10 not much Likeness between 'ne.
He painted all Of the day except the disencraou
hour of noon. The rising sun and the rising moon a"u
moons that wane and that set He loves ms'' ous
mist walls. not hides. and out OF wnich tne
or bis trees are revealed with beauty and grace
that trees 10 garish sunlight could not snow
He varied his theme and sought variety as well In nh
compositions his effects oflght and many pictures
"a he painted each new one seemed wholly new except
that there was the singers wellknown voice ana Ms
familiar touch upon the string. II be grew TO be
fyorite with the public he had the honor OF being
ia yore with the greatest artists Of his time aud MS
death has followed hard upon the fesuvai ne!o III u"
honor when gold medal was struck In praise OF hni'
and presented him in tho presence OF company sucn
as seldom can brought together to consecrate any
living reputation much less ono that had howercd so
silently and shy woods withdrawn and nelds aimoss
untrod.
Corots pictures are not unfamiliar to US In American
the house Of Goup has from time to time imported sev
eral dne examples and there are many OF bis WORKS
owned in Boston, where he was much admired His
death cannot be counted premature at 70, aud the
familiar friendly style Of the old Corot" which has
been 80 long attached to him, has made the news OF h
death surprise-as that OF Mliet was-yet oe was
in full activity and 10 generous life when last news
came OF him. and tho laurel lately laid upon his mead
that we cannot without shock see II turn to cypress