Collection: Claude Lorrain

Claude Lorrain (born Claude Gellée, c. 1600, Chamagne, Duchy of Lorraine, died 23 November 1682, Rome) was a French painter, draughtsman, and etcher of the Baroque era. After training in Italy, he settled in Rome, where he worked for most of his career.

His landscapes often included small figures from biblical or classical mythology, elevating them to the status of history paintings. By the 1630s, he received commissions from Italian patrons, and his works later became highly sought after by English collectors.

Lorrain’s landscapes feature luminous, atmospheric effects, particularly his depiction of sunlight and its diffusion across water and sky. He combined plein air sketches, executed in monochrome wash or pen, with studio compositions that followed classical principles of harmony. The Roman Campagna and its ruins frequently appeared in his works, lending them a poetic quality. His "Liber Veritatis", a collection of 195 drawings documenting his finished paintings, illustrates his working process and served as a reference for later artists.

Lorrain’s influence on landscape painting extended into 18th- and 19th-century England, where his works shaped the Picturesque movement and Romantic sensibilities. His treatment of light and spatial depth anticipated later plein air techniques, while his use of classical motifs in natural settings connected the Baroque and Neoclassical traditions.