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Although Louis XV commissioned some two dozen
Ports of France, Vernet completed only fifteen. Year after year he exhibited
them in the Paris Salon where they were praised by contemporary critics
and viewers. In 1762 Vernet settled in Paris, where he would become best known for his often stormy marine paintings that expressed the sublime in nature. Critics praised Vernet's ability to study the natural world and capture it realistically on canvas, while suggesting a divine presence through the use of dramatic lighting, ravaged landscape, and atmospheric effects. Vernet's work captivated French philosopher Denis Diderot, who compared it to the finest history painting, at the time the most respected subject for art. |
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