The immense variety of style and purpose in French and Italian painting of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries is vividly demonstrated by this survey of the period. Beginning with the dramatic realism of Caravaggio, the period ends with Guardi's atmospheric landscapes. Inspired by classical antiquity, Poussin created idyllic landscapes and harmonious arrangements of human figures. With Claude, nature becomes the central theme in landscapes reaching to infinity. Watteau turned to human nature and the expression of love. Boucher set out to please, while Chardin painted domestic scenes of moving simplicity. Tiepolo was a master of decorative painting, and Canaletto the chronicler of Venice in pageant. Other artists featured are Carracci, Domenichino, Philippe de Champaigne, Vernet, Lancret, and Perroneau.

Claude Lorraine
Seaport: The Embarkation of St Ursula