In class picture analysis

1. The lines in this painting refer to perspective and give points of reference.

2. The boat seems bigger in this part of the painting because the artist used perspective and foreshortening, which gives an illusion of depth. He wants the viewer to feel like he is standing there looking at the whole scene.

3. The setting of the Roman ruins in a biblical painting could possibly be symbolic of  Christ being rejected by the Roman Empire and so they became a fallen society. However as a student mentioned in class the artist Claude Lorrain spent a lot of time in Italy where there was a lot of Roman ruins. Also the artist liked painting ruins, he has them in all of his art work. As Professor English said it also gives a reference to time and place.