Wooded View
Half-completed drawings like this one are rare in Claude Lorrain’s output. The abrupt halt in the wash on top and right implies that the drawing must originally have been larger. It is possible that Claude was unable to complete the drawing, then cropped it to retain only the most successful, back-lit portion. The most elaborate passage is comparable to later, bolder drawings in the Campagna Book, dating from roughly 1640, as well as the brush drawings in the Tivoli Book of 1639-41.
Claude Gellée, known as Claude Lorrain (1600 or 1604/05 – 1682)
circa 1640-45
Graphite, pen and brown ink, brown wash – H. 14.7 cm; W. 20.5 cm – Teylers Museum, Haarlem, inv. L 29 – Acquired by the Teyler Foundation in 1790
circa 1640-45
Graphite, pen and brown ink, brown wash – H. 14.7 cm; W. 20.5 cm – Teylers Museum, Haarlem, inv. L 29 – Acquired by the Teyler Foundation in 1790
© Haarlem, Teylers Museum