A landscape with a monk and an angel in the center, a town to the left (The Vision)

A landscape with a monk and an angel in the center, a town to the left (The Vision) is a significant etching created by Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellée) between 1625 and 1635. This print showcases Lorrain’s early exploration of the poetic landscape combined with religious narrative, a style that would define the height of French classical painting. The composition utilizes a dense forest setting, where the viewer’s eye is drawn to the central figures: a contemplative monk seated beneath the large, textured trees, receiving instruction or solace from a brightly illuminated angel. The interaction signifies a moment of divine revelation, or "the vision," contrasting the natural world with the supernatural.

As a master draftsman and painter primarily active in Rome, Lorrain applied the same meticulous attention to light and atmosphere in his prints as he did in his oils. This etching effectively uses line and shade to render the heavy foliage of the trees and to create an ethereal glow around the celestial visitor, highlighting his technical proficiency in the medium. To the left, a distant town is nestled among the rolling hills, providing a sense of depth and scale that was characteristic of Lorrain's influential Baroque landscape designs.

Though celebrated for his expansive canvas works, Lorrain produced several important suites of etchings throughout his career, which helped solidify and disseminate his revolutionary approach to classical landscape design across Europe. Dated relatively early in his career, this piece provides insight into his formative years. The work is classified as a print and is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. High-quality prints of this important historical artwork are now often available through the public domain, enabling widespread scholarly access.