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From 1802 Chauvin lived in Italy, where he painted mainly landscapes around Rome and Naples. These paintings were extremely popular amongst his contemporaries and were eagerly purchased as souvenirs by the European aristocracy who flocked to Italy. Chauvin's landscapes reveal the influence of the traditions of the French Classicists Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain: in each we see an idyllic image of peaceful nature - a clear sky, a calm sea and high trees with thick trunks and luxurious crowns.