CLAUDE. Claude Gellde, called Claude Lorraine, was born at Champagne in Lorraine in 1600. His parents were very poor, and it is said by Sandrart, who was later in life the intimate associate of Claude, and his instructor in the practice of painting from nature, that be was originally apprenticed to a pastrycook. At tho ago of twelve, being left an orphan, he sought a home at the houso of hia elder brother, who was in business as a carver of wood at Friburg. A relation, who was a travelling dealer, observing some, indications of a love for the fine arta, persuaded his brother to allow the lad to accom pany him to Rome. Hero ho was somewhat unceremoniously deserted by his relative, but received pecuniary assistance from his brother. Seeing some paintings by Godfrey Weals which pleased him, ho determined to go to Naples, where that painter then resided, to obtain the benefit of his instruction. At the expiration of two years he returned to Rome, where he engaged himself at first as house servant to Agostino Tassi, then in considerable repute as a landscape painter, and under him he studied with unwearied diligence to master the principles of art. Having acquired some repute, he made the tour of Italy and France, and part of Germany, staying occasionally for some time at different places to replenish his purse, and paying a visit to his native placo. He appears to have frequently suffered through various misadventures, both in health and fortune, during his protracted tour.
On his return to Rome he was received with a general welcome, and a wide and increasing demand for hia.pictures. Commissions camo to him from numerous places, and from many illustrious persons of the principal countries of Europe. He died in 1682.
Claude is an instance of•what may be done by a constant and diligent study of nature, and by unwearied manual practice. It was his custom to spend great part of his time, often whole days, from dawn till night, in watching the changes of the appearanco in earth and sky. He has left proofs of the painstaking labour with which he studied tho details of a picture in finished studies of leaves and bits of ground. By these means, although it is said very slowly, he eventually acquired such mastery of hand and eye as produced him fame, wealth, and the rank of the first among landscape-painters. He painted for his study a landscape, compounded of many views, taken in the Villa Madams., with nu infinite variety of trees, which he kept
as a store of natural objects. He refuse] to sell it, even when Clement IX. offered to cover it with pieces of gold. This picture, an,{ another of ' Esther and Ahasuerus; he is sail to have mentioned as his best production,. lie used to snake drawings of his pictures in a book, iu order to prevent their being pirated. He left six of these registers, which he called his ' Llbri di Verita ;' one of them, well known by Earienn'a engraving*, is in the possession of the Duke of Devonshire.
colouring is rich, powerful, and brilliant ; his tints are varied as in nature itself. His ai rial perspective is perfect; the fore-ground stands out with the force and brightness of an Italian sunshine; the distance recedes clear and wide, till the blue hills and blue sky meet in harmonious contrast, or melt into the rich, warm, dewy atmosphere of Rome. Ilia architecture, if not very correct, is light and fauciful, and often charmingly mixed with foliage, which is graceful and moving. The water ripples and undulates in tho tremulous light, or Lica calm and glassy. with deepening shadows. Ilia composition is a singular union of freedom and symmetry. If his landscapes have a fault, it is that the graceful is too invariably selected; a trifle of roughness, or irregularity, would add to the interest of the picture. Rich and varied as is his foliage, it must be confessed that he is often inaccurate in dewing the skeleton of his tree!. Ilia figures too are very poor ; this however he freely admitted, saying he sold the landscape and gave away the figure*, a trait of modesty which seems in accordance with his mild and amiable character. lie left his property to two nephews and a niece, his only surviving relations. 3Ioat of the great galleries of Europe posses specimens, more or less excellent, of the paintings of Claude. England is very rich in his works. In the National Gallery there are ten of Claude's paintings, and some of them rank among his finest works. The gallery of the Earl of Grosvenor, and that of Mr. 31111s at Leigh Court, near Bristol, also contain some famous specimens of the works of this greatest of landscape-painters. The British Museum possesses a good collection of Claudo's drawings.