By the nineteenth century, new forms of art were emerging and artists were now searching for ways to “unite objective reality and artful perception.” Photography and East Asian art, particularly the Japanese print, were among these new forms in France. The author of this article, Deborah Johnson, goes on to explain how these two specific forms provided artists with the motivation necessary in taking the next steps in moving into the modern era.

The announcement of the invention of photography came about in Paris and London in 1839. It became widely popularized during the 1850’s through travel books and exhibitions. Photography offered many new points of interests to artists, particularly landscape artists. They made it possible to achieve more “objective” reality. One of photography’s biggest contributions was the concept of light and shadow. Landscape painters found inspiration in the light, textures, and compositions that were captured by the photograph.

There were two different types of photographs that came about. William Talbot produced photographic prints on paper from a negative base. This process is similar to the one

The Great Exhibition held in London in 1851 was a huge turning point for photography and its role in the art world. Hundreds of photographs were displayed and viewed as art rather than science. They were continued to be displayed and appeared in the 1855 Universal Exposition in Paris. Photographs became such big attractions that their own annual Salons were held beginning in 1855.

Millet and Corot were two artists who were both extremely involved with photography. Corot was captured by the process alone. He eventually learned the cliché-verre process and made over seventy prints. Corot was so captivated by photography that around 1848, his style significantly changed from focusing on geometric shapes and linearity, to light and its effects. Millet also has an interest in photography and expresses it in stating, “ Photographs are like casts from nature, which never can be as good as a good statue… But photography used as we use casts, may be of great service.”

Millet, the artist who was captured by the new invention of photography, chose not to use it as much in his works. Instead, his painting took on more of the characteristics that were present in Japanese prints. Throughout the 1850’s, his figures of men and women became compa

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