II

HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL NOTICE

ceiving the trifling remittances sent by his family, he pushed on to Naples, where, during two years, he studied under Godfredi, a Landscape Painter. He afterwards returned to Rome, to profit by the lessons of Augustus Tassi. This new master offered him the means of perfecting himself, took him into his friendship, and intrusted him with the management of his household affairs. This, no doubt, is the circumstance that has induced the belief of his having been in servitude. Claude remained with Tassi till 1625, when he returned to his own country, where Claude Dervet, Painter to the Duke of Lorraine, employed him in painting the Architectural ornaments of the Church of the Carmelites, at Nancy. A workman falling from the scaffold upon which Claude was working, the latter was induced by this accident to leave so dangerous an Atelier, and to return to Italy.

When in Rome, Lorrain soon found his School attended by many pupils. Cardinal Bentivoglio presented him to Pope Urban VIII, who received him kindly, commissioned him to do several pictures, and, from that time forwards, always granted him his patronage and friendship. Claude was but thirty years old, and yet his works were so much sought after, that he could not meet all the demands for them. He became intimate with Nicholas Poussin, his countryman, but he borrowed nothing of his manner, nor from that of Gaspard Dughet, who was in the habit of painting from nature. Claude, on the contrary, contented himself with studying her : « He would spend whole days, in the country, watching, with an attentive eye, the effects produced by the sun from his rising to his setting, those springing from ascending or falling vapours, rains, storms, and thunder. All these phenomena were deeply impressed on his mind, and, when wanted, were transferred to the canvass with as much fidelity as if he had them before him. It was the same with sites; he did not copy them, he in a man

ner created them, and added to the utmost truth, the ideal suitable to that style. His Landscapes are not a cold delineation of some particular spot in the country, like those of the greater part of the Flemish and Dutch Painters, but, putting himself above that servile imitation, he gave faithful representations of nature. His trees, when of a large size, are distinguished according to their species: the hour of the day is perfectly ascertained by the effect. It is impossible to better mark the gradations of the objects according to their remoteness; to better impart the vapourish density separating the beholder from the distance; to better represent, with colours, the appearance of truth. He has no affected touches, and, even he often covers and disguises his touches, by glazing, or scumbling; superior to the the trickery of art, and seeking only to show himself the imitator of nature. As he was more indebted for his talent, to his assiduity in working, and to the correctness of his observations, than to his natural disposition, he wrought not with facility, and often spent several days in defacing and doing afresh, what he had commenced. » Sandrart relates, that walking in the country with Lorrain, the latter had explained to him, better than a natural philosopher could have done, how the same view changes in effect and colour, according to the various moments it receives the light, and according as it is dampened by the evening vapour, or by the morning dew.

Though a skilful Landscape Painter, Claude could never succeed in drawing passably well the figures he introduced in his pictures: he would himself jestingly say, that he sold the Landscape, and gave the figures. Yet, wishing to render his pictures more pleasing to the amateurs, who purchased them, he has often had the figures done by other painters: he would then, in preference, have recourse to two of his own pupils, Philip Lauri, and Courtois. It was also from his Atelier that came the famous Herman Swanevelt, better known under the name of Herman of Italy.

IV HIST. AND Crit. notice of claude gelée.

Some painters seeing the reputation enjoyed by Claude Gelée, wished to profit by his talent, either by copying his pictures, or by imitating them. He, several times, had some shown him, to ascertain if, in fact, they were his.

To avoid repetitions, into which it would have been so easy to have fallen, in the composition of Landscapes, Claude Lorrain was in the habit of preserving a sketch of each picture he ceded to amateurs, taking care to write, at the back, the name of the possessor, and often the year in which it had been done. This valuable collection, composed of two hundred bistre drawings, remained for a long time in the hands of his nephews and nieces, when, towards 1770, it came into the possession of the Duke of Devonshire. It was then engraved in Mezzotinto, by Richard Earlom, and published, by Boydell, under the title of Libro di Verità.

Claude Gelée also employed himself it etching several Landscapes, to the number of 28: they are executed with spirit and feeling; but his engravings have not the same merit as his paintings. He has also done a series of five pieces, that are now seldom met with they represent decorations, for, artificial fire works.

As skilful as Rembrandt in the management of the ChiarOscuro, Claude Lorrain had another point of resemblance with that able painter; like him he was of an extraordinary ignorance: he was also remarkable for his mild habits, and quiet disposition. He lived happy to the age of 82 years, dying in 1682, and leaving his nephews a considerable fortune. He was buried at Rome, in the Church of Santa Trinità del Monte.

Several of his pictures have been engraved by Dominique Barrière, Morin, Moyreau, Le Bas, Major, Vivarès, Browne, Byrne, Lepinière, Mason, and Woollett.

TABLE ALPHABÉTIQUE

PROVISOIRE

DES MAÎTRES, Collections et Sujets

compris sous les nos 1 à 504.

Bonnemaisons (Cabinet de M.). 8 Charles Ier (Portrait de).

65 Charles X (Sacre de).

221 Christ mort. Voy. J.-C. mort.
245 Chrysothémis.