Classical Landscape by Dughet

Classical Landscape, 1660-1670

Gaspard Dughet (later known as Gaspard Poussin) (1615-1675)

Oil on canvas

What is a classical landscape?

The beauty of nature and man’s place in it, was at the centre of the quest to depict an aesthetically pleasing and timeless landscape.

Artists often employed a stock range of elements in their compositions. Trees were used to frame the picture, whilst rivers would lead the viewer’s eye into the distance. The placing of figures would show man’s place in the landscape and would help to establish a sense of distance and perspective.

Dughet was taught by his brother-in-law, Nicolas Poussin. Dughet adopted  Nicholas’s surname, partly to honour his brother-in-law and partly to share his fame as an artist.

Dughet worked in Rome and successfully combined the classical landscape styles of both Poussin and Claude. This picture in particlar shows the influence of Claude through the use of warm glowing light and small incidental figures fishing in the lake.

Purchased in 1898