A Landscape, with Buildings, and Mercury Stealing Admetus's Cattle from Apollo - Richard Earlom

A 1776 mezzotint by Richard Earlom, reproducing a classical pastoral drawing by Claude Lorrain from the Liber Veritatis collection.

This print is a fine example of the collaborative effort between the engraver Richard Earlom and the publisher John Boydell. It forms part of the Liber Veritatis, a series of prints documenting the drawings of Claude Lorrain. Earlom utilised a combination of etching for the outlines and mezzotint for the tonal areas to replicate the wash effects of the original drawing. The scene depicts a classical pastoral setting, a hallmark of Claude's work, where mythological figures interact with a serene, idealised environment.

In the foreground, a figure sits by the water, while cattle and sheep graze peacefully. The middle ground features a stone bridge and architectural structures that evoke the ruins of antiquity. The composition is balanced by large, sweeping trees that frame the view, leading the eye toward the distant hills and water. The narrative element, involving Mercury and the cattle of Admetus, is integrated into the wider scene, typical of the period's approach to combining history painting with topographical observation. The print captures the soft, atmospheric quality of the original drawing, demonstrating Earlom's technical skill in translating ink and wash into the medium of printmaking. The work was published in London in 1776, reflecting the British interest in the Grand Tour and the collection of Old Master drawings. It remains a record of the artistic dialogue between the seventeenth-century French master and the eighteenth-century British printmaker.