This painting is the portrait of a young woman, who seems to look at the musical instrument without playing it. This inspired the title of “The Dreamer,” although we do not know if this was the title given by the artist. The contrast between light and dark is reminiscent of works of the 17th century, and the Italian costume worn by the girl creates a theatrical look. Corot is best known as a painter of outdoor scenes with peasants, but this work, which was created in a studio with a posed model, shows that an artist can resist labels.
