Coast View with Perseus and the Origin of Coral

Coast View with Perseus and the Origin of Coral by Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellée) is a sophisticated and meticulously detailed drawing created in 1674, near the end of the artist’s highly influential career. The artwork is executed in pen and brown ink, enriched by a broad application of brush and brown, blue, and gray wash, with key elements heightened using brilliant white gouache. This complex combination of media allows Lorrain to achieve a remarkable luminosity and depth, characteristic of his mature landscape style.

The subject matter illustrates a pivotal narrative from Ovid’s Metamorphoses: the moment Perseus, having slain Medusa and rescued the princess Andromeda, rests his battle trophies upon the shore. The hero places the severed Gorgon’s head on a bed of seaweed, and the contact with the petrifying blood transforms the organic material into the first pieces of coral. Lorrain seamlessly integrates this mythological drama into a sprawling, idealized coastal landscape. Distant ruins, sailing vessels, and atmospheric mountains frame the foreground action, balancing the classical severity of the architecture against the fleeting beauty of the natural world.

The drawing showcases Lorrain’s unparalleled mastery of atmospheric perspective and his ability to define light through wash modulation. His technique results in a highly finished work, likely intended as an independent piece or a study related to his famous Liber Veritatis. The composition’s emphasis on the sublime beauty of the setting demonstrates why Lorrain remains the preeminent master of the classical landscape tradition. This pivotal work resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As this historical artwork has entered the public domain, high-quality reference prints are widely accessible for study by students of 17th-century French art.