A Sea Port in Moonlight
after Claude Lorrain (Champagne 1600 – Rome 1682)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1700 - 1799
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
654 x 830 mm
Order this imageCollection
Melford Hall, Suffolk
NT 926834
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, A Sea Port in Moonlight, after Claude Lorrain (Champagne 1600 – Rome 1682). Written on a sheet of paper glued to the back - "A painting of a sea port by Claude, taken by Napoleon during his campaign in Italy and brought back by him to Paris as a present to Josephine, in whose chateau at Navarre it remained till purchased by Monsieur Hew?, Rue Mont Martre, a Paris, from whom the present proprietor purchased it. While in the possession of the Empress it was so much admired, and in case of a reverse of fortune and to prevent if ever being recognised or claimed, a tree was painted up the centre of the picture in watercolour and then varnished. Upon removing the varnish and washing the picture the painting was revealed in its previous state. It is supposed to be a Moonlight, a very rare thing for Claude to paint."
Provenance
Part of the Hyde Parker collection, transferred from HM Treasury, 1966
Makers and roles
after Claude Lorrain (Champagne 1600 – Rome 1682), artist