Morning
Joseph Vernet·1760
Historical Context
This Morning scene from 1760 is one of numerous time-of-day paintings that Joseph Vernet produced throughout his career. The morning light theme connected his work to a tradition stretching back to Claude Lorrain, while his empirical approach to atmospheric observation gave these paintings a freshness that appealed to Enlightenment-era collectors. Characteristic of Vernet's approach, the work displays dramatic atmospheric lighting, Claudean landscape structure, theatrical storm and calm effects.
Technical Analysis
The cool, fresh tones of morning light are captured with scientific precision, with the low sun creating long shadows and warm accents against the predominantly cool palette.
