Claude Lorrain

Claude Lorrain
Gellée, called Claude Lorrain, Claude
Gellée, Claude
le Lorrain, Claude
French, 1604/1605 - 1682

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Three women, one man, and a winged child gather near a cave opening within a vast, distant landscape in this horizontal painting. The people are small in scale, taking up the lower left quadrant of the composition, and all have pale skin. Near the lower left corner, the man sits on a rock with his back mostly to us, so we see him in profile. Red cloth drapes around his hips and legs, and his chest and arms are bare. He braces a long staff in his far hand, and raises his right hand, closer to us, and points at the women. He is cleanshaven with a straight nose, closed lips, and brown, shoulder-length hair. To our right, two women stand and one sits on a cloth-covered rock. All three have brown hair that has been pulled back. They also have straight noses, and their lips are parted. The woman at the center of this trio wears a coral-red dress under lapis-blue cloth that drapes across her legs and is held in one hand. Smoke-blue fabric billows behind her. She stands with her body angled to our left, and she looks down at the man in profile. The back of one hand, to our right, rests near that hip, holding the fabric, and she points up with the index finger of her other hand. A peacock with its tail fanned open stands next to her, to our left. The other two women are nude except for a white cloth that partially covers the soft, rounded contours of their bodies. To our left of the peacock and close to it, the second woman holds her drapery so it covers her breasts and her groin. Her body faces us, and she turns her face to look at the central woman. A nude, winged child holding an arrow stands between her and the man. A blue ribbon across the child’s chest holds a quiver of arrows on his back. The third woman is to our right, sitting on a rock draped with a goldenrod-yellow cloth. A white cloth covers her hips, and she leans forward, touching her sandal. A long lance rests under the yellow cloth, and a metal helmet with a red feather sits next to the rock. Six sheep lie or graze along the grassy ground, closer to us. The rocky outcropping with the cave opening rises steeply along the left edge of the composition. A waterfall is tucked into shadows just beyond the cave, and tall trees enclose the left half of the scene. Nearly reaching the top of the canvas, the cluster of trees near the center have dark green canopies. A rocky bank is shown nearly in silhouette in the lower right corner, in front of a deep landscape with a body of water winding through low, marshy areas and a flat-topped formation. Mountains are hazy purple in the deep distance. The horizon comes about halfway up the composition, and the sky above has mauve-pink and lavender-gray clouds sweeping across a vivid blue sky.
Claude Lorrain, The Judgment of Paris, 1645/1646, oil on canvas, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1969.1.1

The Judgment of Paris

Claude Lorrain · 1645/1646 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1969.1.1
We look slightly down onto a group of people gathered along the bank of a river that winds around a copse of tall trees to our left, past a hill to our right, and into the deep distance in this horizontal landscape painting. The horizon line comes about a third of the way up the painting. More than a dozen people gather to converse in pairs or trios, or work loading a ship in the lower right corner of the composition. Most of the people seem to be men, except for two women who stand near a man who gestures to our left at the lower center of the painting. The people we can see have light or tanned skin. The men loading the boat to our right wear pants and shirts in navy blue, gray, tan, or crimson red. Men wearing hats and capes over suits near the lower center, and the women wear clothing in olive green, butter yellow, petal pink, coral red, or gray. Goods are strewn along the riverbank closest to us, including potted flowering plants to our left, a jumble of chairs, tables, and musical instruments nearby, and collections of wooden barrels to our right and in the lower left corner. Two more boats are moored at the shore in front of the grove of tall, dark green, leafy trees that take up the left third of the composition. The sage-green surface of the river curves to our right, to a tree-covered hill with a watermill at its base. A stone structure with a large, central, round tower sits along the top of that hill. The river continues to wind into the deep distance, where towns nestle along the bases of rolling, slate-blue mountains along the horizon. The sky above is pale yellow along the horizon and deepens to pale blue above. Smoke-gray clouds sweeping in from the right are lit bright cream-white where the sun catches the edges. The artist signed and dated the painting as if he had written his name on the side of the boat in the lower left corner, though the inscription appears to be incomplete: “CLAVDIO o I Vo 16 9 OM.”
Claude Lorrain, Landscape with Merchants, c. 1629, oil on canvas, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1952.5.44

Landscape with Merchants

Claude Lorrain · c. 1629 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1952.5.44
The image features a landscape seen from a slightly elevated viewpoint. The horizon is low, with hills fading into the distance, enhancing the sense of depth. Trees with delicate branches frame the scene. The brushstrokes are fine and controlled, contributing to a dreamy quality. The color scheme is primarily soft blues and grays. A group of figures is seated on a knoll in the foreground, blending into the serene surroundings. The overall scene captures a tranquil moment with a harmonious use of color and form.
Claude Lorrain, The Rest on the Flight into Egypt, 1682, pen and brown ink with gray and blue wash and graphite, heightened with white gouache on blue laid paper, Gift of R. Horace Gallatin, 1949.1.24

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt

Claude Lorrain · 1682 · pen and brown ink with gray and blue wash and graphite, heightened with white gouache on blue laid paper ·  Accession ID  1949.1.24
The image shows a pastoral landscape from a low vantage point. The horizon is in the middle, separating the sky from the land. A cluster of buildings is visible on the horizon, resembling a village or castle. The drawing is detailed with precise linework for texture on trees, land, and structures. It is monochrome with warm gray shades. Goats are resting on the grass in the foreground, and tall trees with intricate cross-hatching leaves are on the right. Hills and a spacious landscape extend towards the sky in the background.
Claude Lorrain, The Goatherd (Le chevrier), 1663, etching, Rosenwald Collection, 1945.5.71

The Goatherd (Le chevrier)

Claude Lorrain · 1663 · etching ·  Accession ID  1945.5.71
The image shows a pastoral scene with an expansive landscape, a structure resembling classical columns to the right, various trees framing the scene, two figures playing musical instruments in the middle surrounded by resting cows, hills in the background, and distant mountains under a cloudy sky. The artwork uses fine etching in a monochromatic palette of sepia shades to depict depth and texture, emphasizing warmth and an antiquated feel.
Claude Lorrain, Mercury and Argus (Mercure et Argus), 1662, etching, Rosenwald Collection, 1952.8.238

Mercury and Argus (Mercure et Argus)

Claude Lorrain · 1662 · etching ·  Accession ID  1952.8.238
The image shows a wide landscape with distant hills, a forested area, ruins with columns and arches, foliage, and figures in classical attire dancing. There is a winged figure nearby. The brushstrokes are detailed and the color palette is monochromatic with shades of brown and sepia.
Claude Lorrain, Time, Apollo, and the Seasons (Le Temps, Apollon et les Saisons), 1662, etching, Andrew W. Mellon Fund, 1978.56.1

Time, Apollo, and the Seasons (Le Temps, Apollon et les Saisons)

Claude Lorrain · 1662 · etching ·  Accession ID  1978.56.1
The image shows a pastoral scene with cows and goats near two seated figures, possibly shepherds. In the background, there is a meandering river leading to distant hills and a small town or village. Dense foliage is depicted on the right, with tall trees arching overhead. The artwork features detailed etching with a monochromatic color palette of black and sepia tones.
Claude Lorrain, Shepherd and Shepherdess Conversing in a Landscape (Berger et bergère conversant), c. 1651, etching, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.4614

Shepherd and Shepherdess Conversing in a Landscape (Berger et bergère conversant)

Claude Lorrain · c. 1651 · etching ·  Accession ID  1943.3.4614
The image shows an etching of a landscape with a slightly elevated view. On the left are detailed columns resembling remnants of a structure. On the right, a figure tends to cattle and goats. The horizon is in the upper third of the image, showing hills, mountains, trees, and a distant fortification. The sky has clouds, depicted with fine line work typical of etchings. The color scheme is monochromatic with earthy browns and sepias.
Claude Lorrain, The Herd Returning in Stormy Weather (Le troupeau en marche par un temps orageux), c. 1650/1651, etching, Gift of R. Horace Gallatin, 1949.1.23

The Herd Returning in Stormy Weather (Le troupeau en marche par un temps orageux)

Claude Lorrain · c. 1650/1651 · etching ·  Accession ID  1949.1.23
The image depicts a pastoral landscape from a slightly elevated point of view. A herd of cattle is moving across the terrain, guided by a figure. The horizon is low, showing distant mountains, softly rendered clouds, and a castle-like structure on a hill obscured by trees. On the left, the ruins of an architectural structure, possibly columns, are visible. The etching features detailed brushstrokes, providing texture and depth. The color palette is monochrome, with shades of sepia and dark brown.
Claude Lorrain, The Herd Returning in Stormy Weather (Le troupeau en marche par un temps orageux), c. 1650/1651, etching, Print Purchase Fund (Rosenwald Collection), 1967.17.1

The Herd Returning in Stormy Weather (Le troupeau en marche par un temps orageux)

Claude Lorrain · c. 1650/1651 · etching ·  Accession ID  1967.17.1
This is a drawing of several figures in a mythological scene. The central figure wears armor and a helmet, holding a spear, surrounded by other figures. There are trees in the background. One figure is seated, and a winged figure is in the upper right corner. The drawing is in dark tones, with a dramatic and ancient style.
Claude Lorrain, The Judgment of Paris, c. 1645, pen and brown ink with brown wash over black chalk on laid paper; laid down, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Victor Thaw, 1997.115.1

The Judgment of Paris

Claude Lorrain · c. 1645 · pen and brown ink with brown wash over black chalk on laid paper; laid down ·  Accession ID  1997.115.1

Bibliography

1961

  • Röthlisberger, Marcel. Claude Lorrain: The Paintings. 2 vols. New Haven, 1961.

1962

  • L'ideale classico del Seicento in Italia e la pittura di paesaggi. Exh. cat. Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio, Bologna, 1962.

1968

  • Röthlisberger, Marcel. Claude Lorrain: The Drawings. 2 vols. Berkeley, 1968.

1978

  • Kitson, Michael. Claude Lorrain, Liber Veritatis. London, 1978.

1983

  • Russell, H. Diane. Claude Gellée dit Le Lorrain. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington; Galeries nationales due Grand Palais, Paris, 1982-1983. Paris, 1983.

1989

  • Langdon, Helen. Claude Lorrain. Oxford, 1989.

2009

  • Conisbee, Philip, et al. French Paintings of the Fifteenth through the Eighteenth Century. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 2009: 95-96.