The Ford Crossing
1634
Claude Lorrain was a master of capturing light and landscape, and this 1634 etching shows his talent for rural scenes. You can see a group of travelers and cattle carefully crossing a shallow stream, surrounded by lush, textured trees that seem to rustle in the breeze. The detailed line work creates a wonderful sense of movement and atmosphere, typical of the Baroque period's love for drama and nature. Lorrain spent most of his life in Rome, and his landscapes were so popular that many fakes were made during his lifetime—he even published a book of his own drawings just to prove which ones were real!