Gaspard Dughet (1615 - 1675) - Rest By The Water

Gaspard Dughet (1615-1675), also known as Gaspard Poussin, is one of the great exponents of classical landscape painting of the XVIIᵉ century. Trained in Rome in the circle of his brother-in-law Nicolas Poussin, he developed an art deeply influenced by the Roman countryside and ideals inherited from Antiquity. His balanced, harmonious compositions, imbued with pastoral poetry, would make him a benchmark of Arcadian landscape, admired by collectors and artists well into the XIXᵉ century.
His works are preserved in prestigious institutions, such as the Louvre Museum, the National Gallery in London, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

This painting entitled "Repos au bord de l'eau" perfectly illustrates Gaspard Dughet's style. The scene takes place in a wooded glen, where three figures rest peacefully by a stream and in the grass. The balance of the composition, the atmospheric depth leading the eye towards a luminous distance, and the great sensitivity brought to the rendering of foliage and the play of shadows testify to a mastery of the idealized landscape.
The serene, contemplative atmosphere that emanates from the work, associated with a harmonious, timeless nature, reflects all the beauty of the pastoral dream developed by the artist.