Sixteen drawings by Claude acquired by the Clark Institute

1. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A Ruin on the Palatine in Rome, 1630-35
Black chalk, brush and brown ink with gray wash - 20 x 26.9 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

November 27, 2007 — Acquisition — Williamstown, Sterling & Francine Clark Institute — The Clark Institute continues to affirm its stature as a major establishment in the United States thanks to some spectacular acquisitions. Five months ago an important donation added a large number of British works to its collections (see News of June 15, 2007). Today, no less than sixteen drawings by Claude have been purchased at once. In fact, this exceptional ensemble was acquired about six months ago, and we were fortunate enough to admire them in May when they were displayed for the benefit of the Institute’s trustees. We photographed them all but, at the request of the Clark Institute which preferred to wait before making the announcement, we delayed publication until now.

2. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A View of Lake Bracciano, c. 1638-1639
Pen and brown ink with gray wash - 22 x 31 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

3. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
The Cascades of Tivoli, c. 1640
Signed on verso: “CLAV: R: IV�
Black chalk, brown and gray wash - 22.3 x 32 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

The sixteen drawings are representative of Claude’s graphic art. All of the periods (from 1630 to 1667), the techniques (pen, wash, gouache, red and black chalk,…) and the subjects (landscapes, persons, animals,…) treated by the artist are included. Thirteen of these works come from an album assembled by Claude’s heirs which was then sold to Queen Christina of Sweden. The drawings then belonged successively to Prince Odescalchi, George Wildenstein and Norton Simon. In the 1980’s they were acquired by the New York collector Peter Sharp who added three other drawings. The Clark Institute purchased them directly from Peter Sharp’s heirs.

Here are the sixteen drawings in chronological order :

 A Ruin on the Palatine in Rome, 1630-35 (ill. 1)

 A View of Lake Bracciano, c. 1638-1639 (ill. 2)

 The Cascades of Tivoli, c. 1640 (ill. 3)

 Pastoral Landscape with Trees, c. 1640 (ill. 4)

4. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
Pastoral Landscape with Trees, c. 1640
Signed in red chalk on verso: “CLAV. Ro IV.�
Black chalk, brown wash - 22 x 32 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

 A Study for a Seaport (recto and verso), c. 1640 (ill. 5)

5. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A Study for a Seaport, c. 1640
Pen and brown ink - 18.8 x 26.5 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

 A Sunlit Landscape with Trees, c. 1640 (ill. 6)

6. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A Sunlit Landscape with Trees, c. 1640
Black chalk, brown and gray wash, pen and brown ink - 22.4 x 32 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

 A View Outside Piazza del Popolo in Rome, c. 1640-1641 (ill. 7)

7. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A View Outside Piazza del Popolo in Rome, c. 1640-1641
Signed in red chalk on verso: “CLAVD. Ro.IV.�
Black chalk, gray and brown wash - 22.2 x 32 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

 A Wooded Landscape with Distant Buildings, 1640-1640 (ill. 8)

8. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A Wooded Landscape with Distant Buildings, 1640-1650
Signed at the bottom: “CLAVDIO f.�
Black chalk, brown wash - 20.7 x 28.3 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

 A Study of Cattle, 1640-1650 (ill. 9)

9. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A Study of Cattle, 1640-1650
Black and red chalk, brown and red wash - 17 x 23,7 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

 A Wooded Landscape with Distant Buildings, c. 1645

10. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A Wooded Landscape with Distant Buildings, c. 1645
Signed “CLAUDIO f.�
Black chalk, brown wash
Photo : D. Rykner

 A View of Sant’ Agnese Fuori le Mura, 1650-1655

11. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A View of Sant’ Agnese Fuori le Mura, 1650-1655
Black chalk, pen and brown ink with brown wash - 14.9 x 20.7 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

 The Assault of a Citadel, c. 1658

12. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
The Assault of a Citadel, c. 1658
Black chalk, washed over with yellow and gray wash, pen and brown ink, brown wash, heightened with white - 22.8 x 33.1 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

 Landscape with the Flight into Egypt, 1660

13. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
Landscape with the Flight into Egypt, 1660
Signed: “Claudio Gelle / 1660 Roma�
Black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown and gray wash, heightened with white, pen and brown ink
Photo : D. Rykner

 Landscape with the Rest on the Flight into Egypt, c. 1660

14. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
Landscape with the Rest on the Flight into Egypt, c. 1660
Signed: “Claudio Gelle / 1660 Roma�
Black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown and gray wash, heightened with white, pen and brown ink
Photo : D. Rykner

 An Offering to Ceres, 1663

15. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
An Offering to Ceres, 1663
Signed and dated on verso: “Claudio Gellee inventor / fecit Romae 1663�
Pen and brown ink, gray and brown wash, heightened with white - 15.9 x 21.7 cm
Photo : D. Rykner

 A View of the Caffarella near Rome, 1667

16. Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain (1600-1682)
A View of the Caffarella near Rome, 1667
Signed in pen and ink: “Claud. faict/ la Chafarella. 1667�
Black chalk, pen and brown ink, gray and brown wash - 19.4 x 26.2 cm
Photo : D. Rykner