France, not later than the late 1640s
The painting is the replica of the famous “Seaport”, which the artist created in 1637 (the Royal Collection, London). This piece is characterized by the softness of the brushwork, which is characteristic of the first half of Lorrain's career. Despite their identical composition, the paintings differ in minor details (different positions and number of ships, different staffage, etc.). The arch, one of the main elements of the image, is significantly simplified, as the artist would typically do while copying his earlier landscapes. The seascape combines architectural fantasies and real ruins; the Roman arch and the portico, the medieval towers behind them, and, still further, an Egyptian pyramid. However, the buildings merely serve to emphasize the main theme, that of the sea and the sunlight, which reflecting from the magnificent architectural décor, returns to the mirror-like surface of the sea. Yet another replica was reproduced by Lorrain in 1674 (Alte Pinakothek, Munich).
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Netherlands
Netherlands
Germany
Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
Germany
Netherlands
Netherlands
Germany
Netherlands
Germany