The Wooden Bridge (Rebecca and Eliezer)

The Wooden Bridge (Rebecca and Eliezer) by Claude Lorrain French, 1600-1682, is a refined example of 17th-century printmaking, executed as an etching on ivory laid paper between 1638 and 1641. This particular print is one of approximately 44 etchings created by Lorrain, an artist primarily known for his influential idealized landscape paintings. Although French by birth, the artist spent most of his professional life in Rome, where he perfected his signature style of classical pastoral scenery infused with dramatic light effects.

This work illustrates the biblical story of Rebecca meeting Abraham’s servant, Eliezer, at the well, a popular Old Testament theme often integrated into landscape compositions of the period. However, the narrative is secondary to the evocative depiction of the scenery itself. Lorrain masterfully employs the etching needle to render deep spatial recession, guiding the viewer’s eye across the titular The Wooden Bridge and into the sun-drenched distance. The classical architectural elements and carefully placed figures establish a sense of tranquility and idealized antiquity characteristic of the artist's mature period.

Unlike the densely worked prints of some of his contemporaries, Lorrain’s technique in this print emphasizes atmosphere and the play of light over minute detail. This focus on lumen and spatial depth, coupled with the classical composition derived from ancient Roman sources, proved highly influential in 17th-century France and throughout Europe. This important print classification object, representing the peak of the classical landscape tradition, is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.