Description

Camille Corot’s Lake Albano and Castel Gandolfo captures a tranquil Italian landscape with poetic restraint. Painted during his first visit to Italy, the work presents the serene waters of Lake Albano nestled beneath the hilltop town of Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence. The dome of San Tommaso da Villanova, designed by Bernini, rises gently above the clustered architecture. Executed in oil on paper laid down on wood, Corot’s soft tonal palette and delicate brushwork evoke a luminous stillness, blending topographical precision with a meditative atmosphere that foreshadows his later, more introspective landscapes.