Seated Woman and Other Sketches 1625 - 1638

Claude Lorrain created "Seated Woman and Other Sketches" using etching techniques on a metal plate during the 17th century. Lorrain, working in Baroque Rome, became known for landscapes that often featured mythological or biblical scenes. This print offers us a glimpse into the artist's process. In it, the pastoral setting and the figure of a seated woman are rendered with a loose, almost dreamlike quality. The woman seems to be in motion, perhaps dancing or in flight, which evokes a sense of freedom and possibility. Lorrain’s landscapes, while seemingly bucolic, also reflect the social stratification of his time. As the aristocracy retreated to the countryside, art was a means to express an idealized, and largely imaginary, vision of rural life. The immediacy of the etching process allows for the expression of fleeting thoughts and impressions. It’s as if Lorrain invites us to witness the unfolding of his imagination.