Amazon Rainforest near the Bonito River in Brazil, Claude François Fortier, after Charles Othon Frédéric Jean-Baptiste de Clarac, 1822
Even without using any colour, Fortier managed to convincingly render the sunlight filtering through the dense vegetation. His model was a watercolour by Charles de Clarac. In 1816 Clarac took part in a scientific expedition to study the flora and fauna of Brazil. This print reflects the profound awe that man experiences before nature.