Coast Scene with an Artist 1633 - 1646

Claude Lorrain created this print, Coast Scene with an Artist, using etching. Lorrain, working in the 17th century, lived in a society deeply shaped by hierarchy. Look closely, and you'll notice that the composition subtly reinforces a social structure. A figure on horseback is given a position of visual prominence. This was a privilege for the aristocratic class, as horses were very expensive. Meanwhile, other figures are depicted carrying goods to the harbor. Lorrain spent his career making idyllic landscapes that spoke to the emotional and aesthetic desires of his elite patrons. These landscapes don't depict the difficult lives of the working class, but that doesn't mean we can't see them. Instead, Lorrain's work reveals the economic inequalities of the time and the way that art played a role in naturalizing those inequities. As you move on to the next artwork, consider whose stories are being told and whose are being left out.