The Eiffel Tower struck by lightning, circa 1889, Gabriel Loppé

Gabriel Loppé lived at the golden age of mountain climbing, with the conquest of Alpine peaks at the end of the 19th century. Bewitched by the almost supernatural world of altitude, ice and granite, as a hardened climber, he took his easel to summits where no other artist had thought of painting and drawing. A landscapist of mountain tops, he liked depicting a grandiose nature.

A successful painter, he regularly exhibited at the prestigious Salon Officiel in Paris as well as the Salon des Artistes Français. He also exhibited several times in London.

Gabriel Loppé was also a talented photographer. Some of his images have gone down in history, such as this Eiffel Tower being struck by lightning.

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