Claude Lorrain Painting Reproductions 2 of 4

Claude Lorrain (born Claude Gellée) was a French landscape painter born on 1600 in Chamagne, Lorraine, France. He is considered one of the greatest landscape painters of all time, and was highly influential in the development of European landscape painting during the 17th century.

Claude Lorrain was born into a poor family in the Duchy of Lorraine. At the age of 12, he moved to Rome, where he apprenticed with the landscape painter Agostino Tassi. He quickly developed a reputation as a skilled landscape painter, and his work began to attract the attention of wealthy patrons.

In the 1630s, Claude Lorrain began to establish himself as a leading painter in Rome, and he was eventually appointed as a member of the Academy of St. Luke. He also began to receive commissions from important patrons, including the Pope, and his work was highly sought after by wealthy collectors throughout Europe.

Claude Lorrain's paintings are characterized by their serene, idyllic landscapes, which often feature classical ruins, and are suffused with a warm, golden light. His work is marked by his mastery of perspective, his skill in rendering atmospheric effects, and his ability to capture the subtle nuances of light and shadow.

Claude Lorrain's work had a profound influence on the development of landscape painting in Europe, and he is widely regarded as one of the most important artists of the 17th century. His influence can be seen in the work of numerous painters who came after him, including J.M.W. Turner, John Constable, and the Barbizon School.

Claude Lorrain died on November 23, 1682, in Rome. His work continues to be highly regarded by art historians and collectors today, and his paintings can be found in museums and private collections around the world. He is remembered as one of the most important landscape painters in the history of Western art.