Cattle crossing a river, Le Lorrain, Engraving, 19th century

Cattle crossing a river
Le Lorrain
Drawn by Jean-Baptiste-Etienne Marchais
Engraved by Christian Haldenwang
Burin engraving
19th century

49 x 64 cm
26 x 34 cm

Claude Gelée known as Le Lorrain
(Chamagne 1600 - Rome 1682)
Claude Gellée was born in Chamagne, in the Duchy of Lorraine, France. He was one of five sons in his family. After attending the village school, he was apprenticed to a confectioner because he struggled with handwriting. At the age of 12, he lost his parents and may have lived with his older brother, who was an engraver in Fribourg.
At the age of 14, he joined a troupe of pastry chefs on their way to Rome. There he found work as a cook for the painter Agostino Tassi. It was during this period that he is said to have invented puff pastry. In addition to his domestic duties, he also helped Tassi by grinding the colors for his paintings. He began to try his hand at painting himself and amazed Tassi, who began to educate him in the art of painting.
He studied with the artist Goffredo Wals in Rome and Naples, which influenced his work. He also studied with landscape artist Goffredo Wals in Naples between 1617 and 1621.
At the age of 25, he left Italy and undertook extensive travels in France and Switzerland. He was a pupil of Claude Deruet in Nancy for a year before settling permanently in Rome. He was influenced by the great landscapes of Annibale Carracci and developed his own style, emphasizing the effects of light.
He was admitted to the Academy of Saint Luke in Rome and received commissions from Pope Urban VIII. He painted many imaginary harbors and lively boarding scenes. His works were in great demand and he had important clients such as King Philip IV of Spain. However, forgeries of his works began to circulate, prompting him to create a collection called "Liber Veritatis" in which he drew each of his works with details of title and commissioner.
From 1640 onwards, he turned to calmer works of mythological or biblical inspiration, but the landscape remained central to his work. He continued to explore the effects of light and the infinite space of the landscape.
In the latter years of his career, he concentrated on more symbolic subjects, which enabled him to explore the work of light to a greater extent. He benefited from the patronage of Prince Colonna, but suffered from gout and became seriously ill.
Claude Gellée died in Rome on November 23, 1682, and was buried in the church of Saint-Louis-des-Français. Despite his fame and fortune, he remained attached to his native village of Chamagne.

Jean-Baptiste-Etienne Marchais
(born in Paris in January 1818)
Painter and lithographer, he exhibited at the Salon from 1864 to 1876.

Christian Haldenwang burin engraver
(Durlach 1770 - Rippoldsau 1831)
Initially employed by the engraver and rat dealer Christian von Mechel, in Basel,
he learned by studying the works of Middiman and Woollet, whose style he imitated.
His reputation earned him the title of court engraver at Carlsruhe.
Engraved mainly landscapes and portraits.

Ref: 9E166MVU73