DOI chapter:
Painters, Sculptors, Architects, Engravers, and their Works
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61295#0398
376
LORRAINE.
masses of foliage have a glorious richness and freshness, and even in
the deepest shadows, are interwoven with a golden glimmer of light.
But they serve only as a mighty framework, for, more freely than
with other masters, the eye wanders through a rich foreground into
the far distance, the utmost limits of which fade away in golden
mist.” One of the striking excellences of the works of this artist
is the immense space he represents; another is his color; he seems to
have first used much silvery gray, over which he painted, and this
foundation color gives a peculiarly atmospheric effect. His architec-
tural representations are unexceptionable, but he never succeeded in
animals and figures, and was wont to say that he sold the landscape,
but gave away the figures. Even before his death, his pictures were
so much admired, that other artists attempted to imitate him and to
dispose of their works as his. In order to prevent this, he kept a
book of drawings by which to identify his pictures. This he called,
“ Liber Veritatis.” At his death there were six of these, one of
which, containing 200 drawings, is at Chatswoyth, and has been re-
produced by Earlom. All the principal European galleries have
pictures by Claude, but England is especially rich in his works, which
are not only in public, but in numerous private collections.1 Enormous
prices are now paid for them, whenever they are sold. The life of
Claude began in poverty. His parents were very poor, and died
while he was still young. He was apprenticed to a pastry cook, and
travelled to Rome as valet to some young artists. Soon after he ar-
rived there, he entered the service of Agostino Tassi, for whom he
cooked and prepared colors. He at length began to paint, and was
a most assiduous student of nature. He was accustomed to sit whole
days watching a scene and studying the effects of light at the differ-
ent times of day, and so faithful was his memory, that he could repro-
duce them exactly upon his canvas. But few of his works are an
exact picture of.any one scene; they are rather composed of pictur-
esque materials gathered from different points, united with consummate
taste and skill, and poetized or idealized by his exquisite imagination.
There is another account of his early life, which says that he
journeyed to Rome with a relative, and says nothing of his having
been a pastry cook; but the fact that Sandrart was his personal
friend, and published the first account, while Claude still lived, is
strong proof in favor of its truth. It is also said that he studied in
Naples with Godfrey Waal before he became the pupil of Agostino
Tassi. His reputation, which was already good, was fully established
by some works executed for Urban VIII. soon after 1627. From
this time, he received commissions from the most appreciative patrons
of art in all parts of Europe. In character, he was unimpeachable,
amiable in disposition, and tender in feeling. His personal appear-
1 An original Claude Lorraine, belonging to Mr. William Philips, was burned
in Boston, November 9, 1872.
LORRAINE.
masses of foliage have a glorious richness and freshness, and even in
the deepest shadows, are interwoven with a golden glimmer of light.
But they serve only as a mighty framework, for, more freely than
with other masters, the eye wanders through a rich foreground into
the far distance, the utmost limits of which fade away in golden
mist.” One of the striking excellences of the works of this artist
is the immense space he represents; another is his color; he seems to
have first used much silvery gray, over which he painted, and this
foundation color gives a peculiarly atmospheric effect. His architec-
tural representations are unexceptionable, but he never succeeded in
animals and figures, and was wont to say that he sold the landscape,
but gave away the figures. Even before his death, his pictures were
so much admired, that other artists attempted to imitate him and to
dispose of their works as his. In order to prevent this, he kept a
book of drawings by which to identify his pictures. This he called,
“ Liber Veritatis.” At his death there were six of these, one of
which, containing 200 drawings, is at Chatswoyth, and has been re-
produced by Earlom. All the principal European galleries have
pictures by Claude, but England is especially rich in his works, which
are not only in public, but in numerous private collections.1 Enormous
prices are now paid for them, whenever they are sold. The life of
Claude began in poverty. His parents were very poor, and died
while he was still young. He was apprenticed to a pastry cook, and
travelled to Rome as valet to some young artists. Soon after he ar-
rived there, he entered the service of Agostino Tassi, for whom he
cooked and prepared colors. He at length began to paint, and was
a most assiduous student of nature. He was accustomed to sit whole
days watching a scene and studying the effects of light at the differ-
ent times of day, and so faithful was his memory, that he could repro-
duce them exactly upon his canvas. But few of his works are an
exact picture of.any one scene; they are rather composed of pictur-
esque materials gathered from different points, united with consummate
taste and skill, and poetized or idealized by his exquisite imagination.
There is another account of his early life, which says that he
journeyed to Rome with a relative, and says nothing of his having
been a pastry cook; but the fact that Sandrart was his personal
friend, and published the first account, while Claude still lived, is
strong proof in favor of its truth. It is also said that he studied in
Naples with Godfrey Waal before he became the pupil of Agostino
Tassi. His reputation, which was already good, was fully established
by some works executed for Urban VIII. soon after 1627. From
this time, he received commissions from the most appreciative patrons
of art in all parts of Europe. In character, he was unimpeachable,
amiable in disposition, and tender in feeling. His personal appear-
1 An original Claude Lorraine, belonging to Mr. William Philips, was burned
in Boston, November 9, 1872.