Philip James de Loutherbourg: 7 works

'Dramatic shipwreck scenes like this one helped de Loutherbourg establish his career in France, but he is best remembered as one of the fathers of English stage design. His career-long fascination with the theatrical potential of light, motion, and catastrophe were realized on an extreme scale in 1781, when he built the Eidophusikon: a painting in four dimensions that incorporated mechanically rotating sets, varied lighting, smoke, and musical accompaniment to emulate shipwrecks and other natural spectacles.'

'"De Loutherbourg was the son of a miniature painter and trained in Paris under the history painter Carle van Loo before embarking on a very successful career as a landscape painter.'

'De Loutherbourg trained in Paris with Francesco Casanova.'

'His works were mainly either landscapes inspired by Dutch 17th-century prototypes or romanticised shipwrecks which continue the tradition of Claude-Joseph Vernet (1714-1789). He also painted pictures of bandits recalling the style of Salvator Rosa.'

'De Loutherbourg, often thought of as the master of dramatic effects, successfully evokes storm clouds and tumultuous waves.'

'De Loutherbourg's exploration of sublime effect was assisted by his work as a theatre set designer. He also created the 'Eidophusikon', a miniature theatre where landscapes were animated and accompanied by music and sound effects.'