Tempest

Art Historical Context

Created around 1770, *Tempest* is a striking etching and engraving that showcases the collaborative artistry of Jean-Baptiste Lallemand, a noted French landscape painter, and printmaker Angélique Moitte. Measuring roughly 19 by 13⅝ inches, the work depicts a dramatic natural scene dominated by swirling storms, lightning, and windswept trees, with a coat of arms integrated into the composition. This combination of elements highlights the 18th-century taste for the sublime—the awe-inspiring power of nature—while the inclusion of heraldic imagery suggests possible ties to patronage or a specific locale. Printmaking techniques like etching and engraving were especially significant during this period, allowing intricate details and tonal contrasts to be reproduced affordably for collectors and enthusiasts across Europe. Lallemand’s landscape vision, translated through Moitte’s skilled hand, helped bring the emotional intensity of stormy vistas into domestic spaces, reflecting Enlightenment-era interests in science, emotion, and the natural world. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1962 through the Rogers Fund, this print now resides in the Department of Drawings and Prints, offering visitors a window into how such works bridged painting and popular visual culture in pre-Revolutionary France.

About the Artist

Angélique Moitte|Jean-Baptiste Lallemand (French|French) · | – |

French, active ca. 1770|French