A Life Shaped by Rome and Lorraine Born in Nancy within the Duchy of Lorraine, Claude Charles began his path under the guidance of Jean-George Gérard in Épinal. This early training in religious scenes provided the foundation for a much larger ambition. At only sixteen years of age, he departed for Rome, a move that would fundamentally alter the course of his brushwork. For nine years, he immersed himself in the Roman art scene, laboring alongside Giovanni Maria Morandi and Carlo Maratt. These long years of study allowed him to absorb the classical weight and grace of the Italian tradition.…