Artwork
Imaginary Landscape
Imaginary Landscape is an oil painting by the French Classical Baroque artist Gaspard Dughet. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Imaginary Landscape by Gaspard Dughet presents a pastoral woodland scene populated by trees, a forest setting, and a human figure set within a broader landscape composition. Painted in oil on canvas in 1655, the work belongs to the tradition of landscape painting, in which natural scenery rather than narrative or portraiture serves as the primary subject. The combination of dense forest elements with a small human presence reflects the classical landscape convention of situating figures within idealized nature, a hallmark of seventeenth-century landscape practice associated with Dughet.
The depiction of trees and forest establishes the natural environment as the dominant theme, while the inclusion of a man anchors the scene in human experience of the wilderness.
Technique & Style
The physical dimensions and material choices anchor the work within the mid-17th-century tradition of oil-on-canvas landscape painting.
Imaginary Landscape, executed by Gaspard Dughet in 1655, is an oil painting on canvas. The work functions as a landscape painting depicting elements such as trees, a forest, and a human figure. Measuring 96.2 cm in height and 153.7 cm in width, the piece employs oil paint as its primary medium applied to a canvas support.
The composition focuses on natural scenery, integrating the depicted man within the forested environment typical of the genre. The physical dimensions and material choices anchor the work within the mid-17th-century tradition of oil-on-canvas landscape painting.
History & Provenance
Imaginary Landscape by Gaspard Dughet is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painting, executed in oil on canvas in 1655, measures 96.2 cm in height by 153.7 cm in width. The provided sources confirm its current location at the Metropolitan Museum of Art but do not supply an accession number or any details regarding its prior or subsequent exhibition history, provenance chain, or ownership prior to its entry into the museum's holdings.
Overview
Gaspard Dughet's 1655 oil painting, Imaginary Landscape, is a significant work by the artist, currently held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This painting presents a serene, expansive natural vista, featuring a solitary figure within a richly detailed environment. It exemplifies Dughet's distinctive approach to landscape art during the mid-17th century, showcasing his skill in creating idealized natural settings.
Context
As an artist working in the 17th century, Gaspard Dughet was highly regarded for his landscape paintings. Imaginary Landscape reflects the prevailing artistic trends of the period, where idealized natural scenes often served as a backdrop for contemplation or classical narratives. His work significantly contributed to the development and popularization of the landscape genre, influencing subsequent generations of artists.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
- Paisaje con pastor
Paisaje con caminante
Italian Landscape
Mercury and Battus
Italian Landscape
Landschaft mit Merkur und Argus
Der Morgen
King Midas Judging the Musical Contest between Pan and Apollo
Mountainous Roman landscape
River Landscape with Mountains
Italienische Landschaft (zugeschrieben)
Landscape with a Battle between Two Rams