Acis and Galatea 1657

Claude Lorrain's "Acis and Galatea" (1657) depicts the mythological love story of the nymph Galatea and the shepherd Acis, set against a dramatic, idealized landscape. The scene unfolds in the early morning, bathed in soft light that filters through the hazy atmosphere and highlights the couple's intimate embrace. Lorrain's masterful use of light, shadow, and atmospheric perspective creates a sense of depth and serenity, characteristic of his celebrated "ideal landscape" style. This painting, now housed in Dresden's Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, is a quintessential example of Lorrain's work, blending classical mythology with the beauty of the natural world.