Aeneas op Delos

Aeneas op Delos by Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellée) is a late period drawing executed between 1670 and 1672. The work, created using ink and chalk on paper, depicts a crucial moment from classical mythology: the Trojan hero Aeneas's arrival and consultation with the oracle on the Mediterranean island of Delos. Fleeing the destruction of Troy, Aeneas seeks divine guidance, a scene derived from Virgil’s Aeneid that foregrounds the mythological origins of Rome. This drawing reflects Lorrain’s consistent engagement with historical narratives and ancient literature, a hallmark of his artistic production.

As one of the foremost landscape artists of the Baroque era, Lorrain utilized carefully controlled light and compositional rigor even in his studies and preliminary works. This piece exemplifies his mature drawing style, showing careful articulation of figures placed within a defined architectural and natural setting. The combination of ink and white chalk allows Lorrain to effectively contrast the solidity of the figures with atmospheric elements, lending the scene a dramatic clarity characteristic of his final decade of work.

Lorrain often treated drawings like this not merely as sketches, but as highly refined presentations. The work titled Aeneas op Delos is held in the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum, adding to the museum’s significant holdings of 17th-century European masters. As this piece frequently resides in the public domain due to its age and institutional policies, high-quality prints and detailed photographic documentation are widely available for scholars and art enthusiasts studying the master draughtsmanship of Lorrain.