Departure for the Fields

Departure for the Fields is a delicate etching created by Claude Lorrain, the seminal French master of classical landscape. This work, classified as a Print, was executed in black ink upon laid paper, demonstrating the artist’s characteristic attention to light and depth, even within the reproducible medium of printmaking. Although the execution period is cataloged as 1551 to 1600, Lorrain’s highly influential career spanned the subsequent century (1600-1682), establishing him as the foremost painter of classical, idealized landscapes in Rome.

Lorrain used the demanding technique of etching to translate the atmospheric qualities that defined his celebrated paintings into this format. The composition, suggested by the title, focuses on small figures or perhaps livestock making a rural transit, set against an idealized pastoral background typical of his style. Unlike many contemporaneous prints focusing purely on urban life or religious narratives, Lorrain's compositions center on the harmonious interplay between human activity and the natural world, utilizing fine lines and subtle shading to emphasize deep space and aerial perspective.

As a French artist who fundamentally shaped the development of the European landscape tradition, Lorrain produced numerous prints alongside his large oil paintings, often using them as studies or means of wider dissemination for his compositions. The technical skill displayed in this particular piece highlights why his works, including his prints, remain foundational to the history of Western art. This rare example is preserved in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, offering scholars and visitors an intimate look at the draftsmanship of the seventeenth-century master. Today, many of Lorrain's surviving prints are frequently digitized and available through public domain resources, allowing for continued study and appreciation of his classical style.