Master of the Blue Landscapes

Purchased from Mendelsohn, 3 April 1919

London, Royal Academy, The Paul Oppé Collection, 1958, no. 330 (as Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain);
Ottawa, The National Gallery of Canada, Exhibition of Works from the Paul Oppé Collection, 1961, no. 116 (as Claude Gellée called Le Lorrain)

M. Roethlisberger, 'Drawings around Claude, Part I: A group of sixty Grimaldesque Drawings', Master Drawings, III, 1965, p. 376, no. 11

Hinge to the upper edge. Remnants of an old adhesive tape to the upper and lower right corners, verso. Vertical crease to the left edge and some light staining and surface dirt. Some staining to verso. Otherwise in good condition, with the medium fresh throughout.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This highly atmospheric, double-sided sheet is from a group of approximately 65 drawings, all of which are executed on a characteristic blue paper and were traditionally identified as the work of the celebrated 17th-century master, Claude Lorrain.  In 1965 Marcel Roethlisberger successfully demonstrated that this group was in fact by another unknown hand, now appropriately known as 'The Master of the Blue Landscapes' and, in all likelihood, a Frenchman active in Rome circa 1650.