Claude Lorraine

Claude Lorraine (1600-1682) was a great French landscape painter, born in Lorraine, of poor parents, and apprenticed to a pastry-cook. He went as such to Rome. He became servant and colour-grinder to Tassi, who instructed him in his art. By assiduous study of nature in all her aspects attained to fame. He was eminent in his treatment of aërial perspective, and an artist whom it was Turner's ambition to rival.

Lorraine was also eminent as an etcher as well as a painter. Turner left one of his finest works to the English nation on condition that it should hang side by side of a masterpiece of Claude, which it now does. His pictures are found in every gallery in Europe, and a goodly number of them are to be met with in England. There are in the St. Petersburg gallery four pieces of exquisite workmanship, entitled "Morning," "Noon," "Evening," and "Twilight".

Nearby pages
Claude Perrin Victor, Claude Vernet, Claudian, Claudius Aelianus, Claudius Buchanan, Claudius Civilis