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French classicism

Order, clarity and the ideal landscape in seventeenth-century France.

29 works · hang 1787 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

First room, north wall

  1. The image shows four elderly men around a table. They have long hair and beards, and appear focused as they write or take notes on tablets. They wear classical robes and sit in different postures, engaged in writing or possibly calculating. Two hold writing implements and tablets, while a third holds a scroll. Above them, a seated figure with wings is present. Light rays emanate from a dove at the top, highlighting a celestial influence. An eagle is perched nearby. Architectural elements like columns and arches are in the background. A lion's head is under the table.
    The Four EvangelistsRobert NanteuilCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. A work made of black chalk, with touches of white chalk, on cream laid paper.
    A ProcessionAmbroise Dubois, c. 1610Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. The Four Seasons: Autumn, by Abraham Bosse, 1635
    The Four Seasons: AutumnAbraham Bosse, 1635Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  4. Nymphs and a Satyr (Amor Vincit Omnia), by Nicolas Poussin, c. 1625–27
    Nymphs and a Satyr (Amor Vincit Omnia)Nicolas Poussin, c. 1625–27Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

First room, south wall

  1. Portrait of Charlotte Duchesne, by Philippe de Champaigne, ca. 1628
    Portrait of Charlotte DuchesnePhilippe de Champaigne, ca. 1628Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Blind Orion Searching for the Rising Sun, by Nicolas Poussin, 1658
    Blind Orion Searching for the Rising SunNicolas Poussin, 1658Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. The image has an elevated perspective showing two figures with animals in the scene. One person is leaning against a tree with a stick, while the other is seated on the ground. A cow is between them and other livestock in the middle distance. A person in the distance is tending to the animals. The horizon is low in the image, hidden by rolling hills. The artwork is in monochrome with fine linework, creating texture through hatching and cross-hatching, emphasizing depth and dimensionality.
    Peasant Couple with CowJacques Callot, c. 1621Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Second room, south wall

  1. This is a drawing of a busy street scene with architectural structures and various figures. It depicts a large open area bordered by a grand building to the left and a rounded tower or structure to the right. The left side of the scene is lined with stairs leading up to an elevated walkway or platform, where people are gathered. In the middle and to the right, a crowd has formed, encompassing the space in front of the tower. Various individuals, some wearing distinctive headgear, are seen mingling and gesturing. The architectural details in the background, such as the windows and brickwork of the tower, frame the scene below. A hand-operated apparatus extends from the tower, possibly for lifting goods or supplies. The drawing captures a dynamic urban moment.
    The Slave MarketJacques Callot, 1620Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. Samson, by Valentin de Boulogne, 1630–31
    SamsonValentin de Boulogne, 1630–31Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. An elderly woman sits on a small stool and four children stand along the foreground of a landscape with rolling, olive-green fields leading back to low, slate-gray mountains in this nearly square painting. The horizon comes about halfway up the painting, and the sky above is filled with a sheet of steel-gray clouds that break to reveal patches of ice-blue sky. Closest to us and along the left edge of the painting, the woman sits near a structure with a fragment of wall and a column that could be made from tan-colored stone. The woman faces our right in profile and looks at or toward three children gathered on a low hill to our right. Her lined face is partially cast in shadow by her white bonnet, but her skin is yellowed where the light falls across the side closer to us. A wide, white collar lies over the shoulders of her muted, plum-purple jacket, which is tied with a narrow red belt. Her hands rest in the lap of her full, moss-green skirt that falls to her feet and covers most of the stool. To our right, two boys and a little girl stand on a low hill. They all stand with their bodies angled to our right, and all have pale skin and brown hair. To our left in the trio, the young girl wears a royal-blue dress with brick-red, long sleeves and a wide, white collar, cuffs, and cap. Next to her, a slightly older boy wearing gray knee-britches, a honey-orange jacket with a white collar, and a blue tricorn hat looks down and plays a thin pipe. His jacket is torn at the elbows, revealing a red shirt beneath. To our right, the oldest boy wears a brown cloak over a gray jacket, tan trousers, and a tan brimmed hat. He holds his right arm, closer to us, across his chest as he touches an instrument nestled in the crook of his other elbow. Another bareheaded boy wearing a red shirt and blue trousers walks beyond this trio, holding a short pole over one shoulder and a brimmed hat in his other hand. He walks to our left and looks to the horizon. More people with sheep, cows, and a person on horseback dot the rolling fields that stretch back to low hills. One house sits next to a line of trees to the left of center, in the middle distance, and more buildings, including a church spire, cluster on the horizon to our right.
    Landscape with PeasantsLouis Le Nain, c. 1640Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. The image shows a landscape with trees, rocks, and water. The perspective is slightly elevated. Rocks are prominent in the central area, with various shapes and textures. Trees and foliage are depicted with detailed brushstrokes. The color scheme is sepia, creating a warm and vintage atmosphere. The scene includes water reflecting rocks, distant hills, and faint cloud formations.
    A Rocky PondLaurent de La Hyre, 1640Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Second room, north wall

  1. The Abduction of the Sabine Women, by Nicolas Poussin, probably 1633–34
    The Abduction of the Sabine WomenNicolas Poussin, probably 1633–34Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Saint Peter Repentant, by Georges de La Tour, 1645
    Saint Peter RepentantGeorges de La Tour, 1645Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Third room, north wall

  1. A work made of oil on panel.
    MeeknessEustache Le Sueur, 1650Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. Painting of Greek landscape, classical architecture, yellow, red robed man reading.
    Landscape with Saint John on PatmosNicolas Poussin, 1640Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. The Trojan Women Setting Fire to Their Fleet, by Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellée), ca. 1643
    The Trojan Women Setting Fire to Their FleetClaude Lorrain (Claude Gellée), ca. 1643Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art