The draftsman studying nature

Claude Gellée, known as Claude Lorrain, was recognized in his own lifetime as one of the finest masters of landscape painting, Throughout a long career spent primarily in Rome, Claude perfected his vision of an idealized landscape in which mankind lived in harmony with a serene, bountiful nature. This vision was tinged with nostalgia for the mythical land of Arcadia, yet Claude’s landscapes were grounded in reality. Although he drew inspiration from the countryside around Rome with its golden light and ancient ruins, he was nevertheless deeply influenced by the group of northern European painters who worked in Rome between 1615 and 1635. This generation was the first to leave the studio on a regular basis in order to draw from nature. Claude was remarkable for his assiduous study of landscapes in all their variety, his sensitivity to light, and his talent at getting fleeting effects down on paper. In short, he was extraordinarily receptive to the experience of nature.
This show features the finest drawings by Claude in the Louvre and the Teylers Museum, along with a selection of paintings and engravings, in an attempt to define the role of drawing in the master’s painted works.