Claude Lorrain

Claude Lorrain, born in the year 1600 in the independent Duchy of Lorraine, was a prominent painter, draughtsman, and etcher of the Baroque era. Spending the majority of his life in Italy, he emerged as one of the earliest significant artists to focus on landscape painting, a genre that was gaining prestige during his time. His landscapes often incorporated small figures, typically depicting scenes from the Bible or classical mythology, thereby transitioning into the more esteemed realm of history paintings.

By the end of the 1630s, Lorrain had established himself as the leading landscapist in Italy, commanding substantial fees for his work. His landscapes evolved over time, becoming larger and more meticulously painted, albeit produced at a slower rate. While he was not an innovator in the traditional sense, he was notable for introducing sunlight and its effects into his paintings, a technique that had been relatively rare prior to his contributions.

Although Lorrain is now recognized as a French painter, his artistic journey was predominantly shaped in Italy, where he garnered a clientele of Italian patrons. Following his death, his works gained immense popularity among English collectors, and a significant portion of his oeuvre remains in the United Kingdom. His prolific output included numerous drawings, often created in pen and monochrome watercolour wash, which have greatly influenced subsequent artists.

His drawings can be categorized into three distinct groups: sketches of landscapes made on-site, studies for paintings of varying finishes, and a collection of drawings documenting finished works known as the Liber Veritatis, housed in the British Museum. Lorrain also produced over forty etchings, primarily before the year 1642, which served various purposes but are now considered less significant than his drawings. Early in his career, he painted frescoes that contributed to his reputation, though most of these works have unfortunately been lost to time.