A 1776 mezzotint by Richard Earlom after Claude Lorrain, depicting the classical scene of Aeneas hunting deer in a coastal landscape.

This print by Richard Earlom is a reproduction of a drawing by Claude Lorrain, which was held in the collection of the Duke of Devonshire. Published by John Boydell in 1776, the work demonstrates Earlom's technical mastery of the mezzotint process, a medium he utilised to translate the tonal qualities of wash drawings into printed form. The scene depicts a narrative from the first book of Virgil's Aeneid, where the hero Aeneas hunts deer upon his arrival in Libya.

The composition follows the conventions of the classical landscape tradition. A tall, silhouetted tree anchors the foreground on the left, framing the view toward a distant harbour filled with ships. The middle ground features Aeneas and his companion, rendered with precise, delicate lines, as they target the herd of deer. The background recedes through layers of hills and water, creating a sense of atmospheric depth. Earlom employs a range of tonal values to suggest the soft light of the scene, moving from the dark, textured foliage to the lighter, hazy horizon.

Earlom was a prolific engraver, known for his work on the Liber Veritatis, a collection of prints after Claude Lorrain. His ability to capture the specific qualities of ink and wash through the copper plate made him a sought-after interpreter of Old Master drawings. This print reflects the 18th-century British interest in collecting and disseminating European art through high-quality reproductive engraving. The work remains a clear example of the period's dedication to classical subjects and the refinement of printmaking techniques.