An italian landscape with figures
Tempera on canvas 72 x 135 cm.
The unusual media, tempera, suggests that the present picture was intended as part of a decoration of a villa or palace. It has been suggested that it may be the work of Gaspard Dughet (1615-1675), also known as Gaspard Poussin. A noteworthy series of works in tempera by him representing various sites near Rome is in the Colonna Palace, Rome. He worked with Pier Francesco Mola, Cozza, and Mattia Preti at the Palazzo Pamphili in Valmontone. The frescoes executed by Dughet in San Martino ai Monti are in a bad state of preservation.
Gaspard Dughet was born in Rome in 1615 where he spent most of his life and career. Despite this, he was considered to be a member of the French School because he was a pupil of his brother-in-law, Nicolas Poussin. Dughet adopted the surname of his mentor, but did not practice the same highly formal style of drawing, nor did he exploit subject matter inspired by antiquity as thoroughly. Instead, he pursued landscape more for its romantic and mysterious moods.