Marriage of Isaac and Rebecca

Michele Felice Cornè (1752-1845) was born in Naples, Italy and emigrated to Salem, Massachusetts in 1800. Cornè was known for marine scenes, portraits, and interior decorations such as fireboards and murals that replicated scenic wallpaper.

This painting is a copy of Claude Lorraine’s 1648 painting The Mill (Landscape with the Marriage of Isaac and Rebecca) which is owned by the National Gallery, London. It is believed that Cornè created his version from a print after the Lorraine painting because his image is reversed from the original painting. American artists often copied engraved prints if the original paintings, or quality copies, were not available. Replicating the work of established artists was an accepted means for painters to educate themselves and to make a living.

Michele Felice Cornè (1752–1845), painter
Salem, Massachusetts, 1805
Oil on canvas
1964.412