Koller View 4/20

18 Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot Corot is a key figure in 19 th century French land- scape painting. He laid the foundations for a new approach to the genre. Although his work stands in the tradition of Neoclassicism, his plein-air painting paved the way for the innovations of Im- pressionism. Compared to the Impressionists, Corot’s palette is reserved, dominated by dark pastel shades, silvery green and light blue. The artist died in 1875, and especially his late land- scapes – such as this, which is one of his last – are characterised by unique lighting and a shim- mering atmosphere. The significance of Camille Corot’s painting over decades is expressed in a quotation from Claude Monet in 1897: "There is only one master here – Corot. We are nothing compared to him, nothing." Les canards. Circa 1874-75. Oil on canvas. 28 × 33 cm. Sold for CHF 175 000 Augusto Castellani This octagonal brass box from circa 1870, decorated with m otifs from the antique, was designed by the Roman jeweller Augusto Castel lani, who had taken over the workshop founded by his father only a few yea rs earlier, at a time when the production of micromosaics was flourishing in It aly. Box with 17 micromosaic panels. Rome, circa 1870. H 16.5 cm. Sold for CHF 155 000