Nicolas Poussin [Compatibility Mode]

8/14/2019 Nicolas Poussin [Compatibility Mode]

1/57

N ico las P o ussin( 1 5 J une 1 5 9 4 L e s A nd e ly s 1 9N o ve mb e r

1 6 6 5 R o me )

P r e se n t e d b y :A b h ishe k Iy e r

A na ny a A ga rwa lC ha it any a

D hruv B a su

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L if e , T ime s a nd W o rks

N ico las P o ussin was a F rench p aint er in t he c lass ica l st y le .H is work p redominan t ly fea tu res c la r i t y , log ic , and o rde r ,and f avo rs l ine o ver colo r.

Pouss in b rough t a new in te l l ec tua l r i go r t o the c lass i ca l

imp ulse in art , as wel l as a uniq ue, so mewhat r et icent p o et ry . H is sensi t ivi ty t o t he nuances o f gest ure, d esign, co lo r , and

hand l ing , wh ich he var ied accord ing to the theme a t hand,p ermi t t ed h im t o b r ing a very f o cused expression t o h is a r tand t o c reate f o r each narrat ive a memo rab le and end ur ing

form. T he wide range o f h is oeuvre inc ludes scenes o f subdued

tenderness, bacchic revelry, mourning, r ighteous civ ic v ir tue,and ot her mo re d i f f icu lt t o ident i fy st at es o f mind or be ing.



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N ico las P o ussin 's ear ly b iograp her was h is f r iend G iovanniP ie t ro B e llo r i , who re la tes t ha t P o ussin was bo rn near L es

A nde lys in N o rmandy and tha t he rece ived an educa t iont ha t included so me L a t in, wh ich wo u ld st and h im in goo ds tead .

E a r ly ske tches a t t rac ted the no t i ce o f Q uent in V a rin , alo cal pa inte r , whose p up i l P o ussin became, unt i l he ran away

t o P ar is at t he age o f e ightee n. T h ere h e e nt e re d t h e st u d io s o f t h e F le mish p a int e r

F erd inand E l le and t hen of G eo rges L allemand

A f t e r t wo abo r t i ve a t t emp t s t o reach R o me, he f e ll in w ithG iambat t ist a M a rino , t he co ur t p oe t t o M a rie d e M ed ici,

a t L yo n. M ar ino emp lo yed h im o n i llus t ra t ions t o h is p o emA d o n e ( u n t r a c e d ) a n d o n a s e r i e s o f i l l u s t r a t i o n s f o r a p ro jec ted ed i t i on o f O v id ' s M et a mo r p h o s es[ 2 ] , t o o k h im in to h is ho useho ld ,



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P o ussin s S ub ject mat t er

S ome are themes o f h is own invent ion or sub jec ts tha t nop revious a rt i st chose to dep ic t ; f r equent l y h is p a in t ingscarry a mo ral o r p h i lo sop hica l message, o r d raw at t ent ion t oman's p recar io us p o sit io n in t he universe.

T he y a re insp ir ed b y O vid ' s M e t a mo r p h o se s, a nc ie nth is to ry , cer t a in s to r ies f ro m t he O ld T es tament , and latein h is careerthe seven S acraments (T he C onf i rmat ion ,f rom the ser ies o f T he S even S acraments , C o l lec t ion o ft he D uke o f R ut land , B e lvo ir C ast le) conceived wit h in t he

early C h rist ia n c hu rch .



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E t in A rca d ia E go o rL e s B e rge rs d A rca d ie -L a t e1 6 3 0 s



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E t in A rca d ia E go

"E t in A rca d ia e go " is a L a t in p hra se t ha t mo st famouslyap p ears as t he t i t le o f t wo p aint ings b y N ico las P o ussin.

T hey are pastora l pa in t ings dep ic t ing idea l ized shepherdsf ro m c lassica l ant iqu i t y , c luste r ing aro und an aust ere t o mb .

T h e p h r a s e i s u s u a l l y i n t e r p r e t e d a s a me me n to mo r i - " E ve n in A rc ad ia I e xist " , a s if sp o k en b y person i f iedD ea th .

T he shep herds and shep herdess in t h is p a in t ing (16 3 0 s) b y

N icho las P o ussin have just come ac ro ss a t o mbs to ne , o nwhich t hey read t he inscr ip t ion, "E t in A rcad ia ego ."



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8/57

A d o ra t io n o f t heS he p he rd s1 6 3 1 - 3 3



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E a rly Y e ars in R o me

In R o me, his p at ro n having d ied , P o ussin, who lo d ged at f i rstwit h S imo n V o u et . f e ll int o gre at d ist r ess, wit h t hed ep art ure f o r S p ain o f h is ear ly p at ro n C ard ina lF rancesco B arbe r in i and the C a rd ina l' s sec re ta ry , t heant iqua ry C assiano da l P ozzo , la te r a g rea t f r iend andp a t r o n .

T he re turn o f B arber in i f ro m S p a in in 1 6 2 6 s t ab i lized andrenewed the pa t ronage o f t he B a rbe r in i and the i r c i r c le

T wo major co mmissio ns at t h is p er iod result ed in P o ussin 'sear ly masterwo rk t he B arb er in i D e at h o f G e rmanicus.



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T he D e a t h O f G e ra ma nicus- 1 6 2 7



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S o me cr it ics co nsider T he D e a th o f G e rma nicus (pa in tedin 1 6 2 7 , in F ranc e, h anging in t h e T he M inne a p o lis

Inst it ut e o f A rt s) , N ico las P o ussins early mast erp iece, T he p a in t ing p resen ts a linea r , b a relie f - like scene with

seve ra l emo t iona l p i vo ts , a l l i nduced by the dea th o f t heR o man gene ral .

L ying on t he b ed a nd e nshro ud ed in whit e, he is immed iat ely

recogn ized ; the ghas t ly g reen ish tone o f h is face imp l iespo ison ing , the mos t p robab le cause o f dea th accord ing toh is tor ians.

H ero ic gestu res and st o ic f ac ia l expressio ns, inc lud ing t hat

o f G ermanicus h imse lf , d ec id e t he emo t io na l cur ren t o f t hecent ral scene, where t he general and his of f icers are having alast wo rd s mo ment .



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t he wo men and t he ch ild ren near t he be d sid e are part icu lar lyno t a b le f o r ad d ing a sh ad e o f nave su rp r ise (b y t h e

chi ldre n) and co mp assio n. T wo le ss f o r c ef u l, t h o u gh ju st a s p a ssio n at e sc ene s,

enf rame the centra l act wit h po ignant res ignat ion and sorro w and d i f f use t he in t ensit y in t he cent er .

P ikes p lay man ifo ld ro les in the co mp o s it io n . B urs t ing f ro mthe s ing le -b lock g roup o f mou rne rs , t hey resemb le , as avisua l me tapho r , so la r e jec t ions : t he te lling signs o f t het remendo us heat and p ressure w ith in . O n t he o the r hand ,t he ir sharp and ed gy t ip s a lso b eco me a sub limat io n o f t he

su f fe r ing be low and ye t the same ins t ruments dea l andb r ing d eat h, t he very same t heme of t he p aint ing.



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R a p e o f T he S a b ine W o ma n,R o me 1 6 3 7 - 3 8



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R o mulus was K ing o f R o me 7 5 3 -7 1 5 B .C . W hen gro wn

R o mulus f o und ed t he c it y o f R o me. T here is anot her st o ry abo ut R o mulus in t he st o ry o f "T heR ap e o f t he S ab ine W o men." I t seems th at R o mulus need edwives f o r t he men who h ad jo ined his c i t y .

T he R oman sta t e had become st ro ng enough t o ho ld it s

o wn in war wit h a ll t he p eo p les a lo ng it s b o rd ers, b ut a sho rt ageo f wo men meant t hat i t s great ness was f a t ed t o last f o r a s ing legenera t io n , since the re was no p rosp ec t o f o f f sp r ing a t ho meno r any p ro sp ect o f marr iage wit h t he ir ne ighbo rs.

T h en, in a cc o rd a nc e wit h t h e d e cisio n o f t h e se na t e,R o mulus sent messengers t o t he ne ighbo r ing p eop les t o askf o r a lliance and t he r ight o f marr iage f o r the new p eo p le.



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A ll t he R o man yo ut hs b egan to grab t he women. M any justsna tched the neares t woman to hand , bu t the mos t beau t i fu l

had a l ready been rese rved fo r the sena to rs and these wereescor t ed t o the sena to rs' houses by p lebe ians who had b een

given t his assignment .

T he R omans d rove o f f t he men, and to ok the women fo r

t heir wives. T he S ab ine men d id no t g ive in so e asi ly ho wever.T here was war b e t ween t he R o mans and t he S ab ines led b yt heir k ing T i tus T at ius.

. I t was t he women who f inally b ro ugh t p eace t o R o me. T heyp e rsuaded the ir f a the rs no t t o f i gh t t he ir new husbands andt h e R o mans acce p t ed T it u s T at iu s a s jo int ru le r wit hR o mulus.



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T a ncre d a nd E rminia -E a rly 1 6 3 0 s



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S h o ws a n e vo lu t io n f r o m P o u ssin 's e ar ly e mu la t io n o fC aravaggio t o a ret urn to c lassic ism.

P rince ss E rminia w a s a c h a r a c t e r i n t h e e p i c p o e m L aG e rusa le mme lib era t a b y T o rq ua t o T a sso . In t h is ta le shef al ls in love wit h t he C hrist ia n knight T a ncre d , and b et rays

her peo p le t o a id h im. O nce she d isco vers t ha t T ancred isin lo ve wit h C lo r ind e , h o we ve r, sh e r et u r ns t o jo i n t h eM us l ims. S he subsequent ly s tea ls C lo r inde 's a rmor thenjo ins a gro up o f shep herd s.

T he name E rmin ia is somet imes g iven as "H ermine". I t isre lat e d t o t h e name " A r mina", t h e f e minine f o r m o f"A rmand".



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P o ussin in F rance

L ou is X III con fe r red on h im t he t i t le o f F ir st P a in te r inO rd ina ry .

In t wo years at P ar is he p ro d uced several p ic tu res fo r t hero ya l chap e ls (t he L a st S u p p e r , p ainte d f o r V ersai lles, no w

in the L ouvre) , e igh t c ar t o o ns f o r t h e G o b e lins t a p e st r ymanufac t o ry , the ser ies o f t he L ab ors o f H e rcu les f o r t h e L o u vr e , t h e T riu mp h o f T ru th f o r C ardinal R ichel ieu(L o uvre), and much minor wo rk.

In 1 6 4 3 , d isgu st e d b y t h e int r igu es o f S imo n V o u et ,

F o uqu ires and t he arch it ec t J acques L emerc ie r , Po ussinwit hd rew t o R o me.



19/57

H e lio s a nd P ha e to n wit h S a t urn a nd t he F o ur S e a so ns



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E lement s in P o ussin s wo rks

In 1628 , w i th C ass iano 's he lp , Pouss in rece ived h is on lypapa l commiss ion . T he M a rt y rd o m o f S a int E ra smus,p a int e d f o r t h e C h urch o f S aint P e t e r (no w V at icanM useums)o ne o f h is largest and mo st B aro q uecompos i t ions .

he set o f f in h is o wn d irect io n.

B e tween 16 33 and 16 37 h is sub ject ma t t e r sh if t ed t o thep agean t r y o f t he O ld T e st a me nt (A d o ra t io n o f t he M ag i) ,

myt ho lo gy (B acchanals fo r C ard ina l R ichelieu, and ancienth ist o ry (R ap e of t he S ab ines, t wo vers io ns).

C h rist ia n it y



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T he S e ve n S a cra me nt s- 1 6 3 0 s

D o ub le ser ies - T he f i rs tser ies was commiss io ned b y C assiano de l Po zzo in the second ha lf o f t he 16 3 0 s andwasso ld to t he D ukes o f R u t land in 17 8 4 . O ne o f t he seven, "P enance" , was des t ro yed ina f i re a t the R u t l and 's B e lvo i r C ast l e i n 1 81 6 , and "B ap t i sm" was acqu i red b y theN at iona l

G a l le ry o f A r t in W ashingto n D C in 1 93 9 .



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23/57

T he d arkness d o es t wo t h ings:

S h o ws t h e r e alit y o f a su p p e r i n

t hat t ime when the re were no stre etl ights.

G ives an om inous fee l i ng to theset t ing ,

M ajest ic y e t so lemn g lo wemanat ing f ro m t he lamp .

t h i s w a s a f o r e s h a d o w i n g o f t h egrueso me cruc if ixio n ab o ut t oo ccur t he next d ay.

C hr ist is seat ed with a ve ry roy a lpos tu re .

J esus ' up r ight p o stur e makes H imstand o ut amo ng t he o t hers .



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J udas is sneaking o ut o n the le f t .

J esus had p rob ab ly just anno unced t ha t

H e was a b o ut t o b e b e t ray e d . J u d assneaks o ut t o ge t the jo b d o ne.

P o ussin rep resent s p r imar ily t hei n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e E u c h a r i s t , b u t a t t h e

same t ime remind s t h e sp e ct a t o r o fC hr is t 's wo rd s : 'O ne o f y o u sha ll b e t rayme'.

T he scene is se t in a ro o m o f t he u t mo stsimp lic it y , wit ho ut o rnament , and

art icu lat ed o nly wit h p la in D o r ic p i lasters. C hr ist has g iven t he b read t o t he ap o st les

and is ab o ut t o b less t he cup .



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T he S acraments , a micro co sm o f P o ussin's a r t , revea l h is

work ing met ho d s. I t is kno wn t hat he kep t a small b o x rat herl ike a miniat ure t he at re, in which he arrang ed wax mo d els andalt ered t he light ing in o rd er to help h im wit h the layo ut o f h isc o mp le x c o mp o sit i o ns. H e t h e n ma d e nu me ro u s r o u ghd rawings, t ry ing out t he co mp o s it ions unt i l t he f ina l so lu t ionwas reached .

It is easy t o see t hat a ll t he int e rio r sce ne s o f t heS ac raments a re a r ranged l i ke a t h e a t rica l t a b le a u , whichg ives t hem t he ir cur ious ly s ta t ic qua l ity and enhances the i r

grav i ty .



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T he G a the ring o f M a nna -1 6 3 7 - 3 9



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M a nna - f o o d t h at G o d gave t h e Isr ae lit e s d u ring t h eE xo d us*(O ld T es tament) .

*E xo d us-T he second b o o k o f t he O ld T est ament : t e lls o ft he dep ar tu re o f the Is rae lites ou t o f slave ry in E gyp t ledby M oses; G od gave t hem the T en C o mmand ments andt he rest o f M o saic law o n M o unt S inai d ur ing t he E xo d us.

G a t he ring o f M a nna is a large scale mythologica l pa int ing(h ang ing in L o u vr e M u se um, P a r is) t h at c o nve y s t h ed ramat ic fo rce o f t he b ib lica l d ivine ac t o f t he d ist r ibu t ion o ft he M anna.

Pouss in m igh t have a t tempted to exp lo re pan the is t i c andho list ic ideas (and ideals) o f t he re la t io nship o f a l l humanit ywit h G o d .



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E ve n t h e e xp r e ssio n so f su rp r ise se em a s ama t te r -o f - fac t ,inevi tab le react ions; t h isis a d rama b ut no t a

melodrama.

P o ussin cred ib lyancho rs a d i v ine ac t i nco ncre t e realit y and

ac t ion .



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S e ve n S a cra me nt s- O rd ina t io n 1 6 3 6 - 4 0



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T he L a me nt at io n o f t he C hrist -1 6 2 8 - 3 1



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T he L amenta t ion o f C h r is t i s a ve ry common sub jec t inC hr is t ian ar t f ro m t he H igh M idd le A ges t o t he B aroq ue.A f t e r J esus was cruc if ied , h is bo d y was remo ved f ro m t hec ross and h i s f r i ends and fam i l y mou rned ove r h i s body .

T h is event has b een d ep icted b y many d i f f erent ar t ist s .

L amenta t ion works are very o f t en inc lud ed in cyc les o f t heL i fe o f C hr ist , and a lso f o rm t he subject o f many ind ividual

wo r k s. O ne sp e c if i c t y p e o f L a me nt a t i o n d e p i ct s o n lyJ esus ' mo t her M ary crad ling h is b o d y . T hese are known asP i e t



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C hrist a nd t he W o me n t a ke n in A d u lt e ry -1 6 5 3



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B a p t ism - 1 6 4 6



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V irg in and t heC hild1 6 2 5 - 2 7



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V irg inap p ea ring toS t .J a me s

1 6 2 7 - 2 9



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I n t h e l a t e 1 6 4 0 s a n d e a r l y 1 6 5 0 s , a t t h e h e i g h t o f h i sa rt i st i c ma tu r it y , N ico las P oussin tu rned f ro m h isto r icalnar rat ive t o land scape p a in t ing . L andscape with a C alm

d o es no t i llustr at e a s to ry b ut ra t her evo kes a mo o d .

T he ord ered co mp o s it io n and c lear , go lde n ligh t co nt r ibu t et o A C a lm's ut t er t ranqu i li ty , while g lo wing, gem-like co lorsand f lu id p a in t st ro kes en liven th i s scene o f benevo len tnature .

P o ussin p a in ted a pend ant t o t h is p a in t ing , L and scap e wit h

a S t o rm, no w in a mu se um in R o u e n. T o g et h er t h eircon t rast ing wea ther e f f ec ts embo dy nat u re 's chang ing andunp red ic t ab le re la t io nsh ip wi th man. P o ussin pa in ted t hesewo rks f o r the P ar isian merchant J ean P o in te l, a f r iend agreat co llect o r o f h is land scape p aint ings.

L a nd sca p e



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L a nd sca p e - T he C a lm 1 6 5 1



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L a nd sca p e - A S t o rm1 6 5 1



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L a n d sca p e wit h a ma n D rink ing - 1 6 3 7 - 4 0



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L a nd sca p e wit h S t .J e ro me



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L a nd sca p e wit h S t .J o hn o n P a tmo s- 1 6 4 0 s



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L a nd sca p e wit h S t .M a t t he w a nd the A nge l-1 6 4 5



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L andscap e wit h ashes o f P hoc io n co llec t ed b yhis wid o w-1 6 4 8



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T he F o ur S e a so ns-1 5 9 4 - 1 6 6 5

T he F o ur S e a so ns (f r L e s Q ua t re S a iso ns) wa s t he la stse t o f f o ur o il p a in t ings co mp le ted by t he F rench p a in te rN ic o las P o u ssin (1 5 9 4 1 6 6 5 ) . T h e se t wa s p a int e d inR o me b e tween 16 6 0 and 1 6 6 4 fo r t he D uc d e R ichelieu ,t he nep hew o f C ard ina l R ichelieu.

E ach p aint ing is an e leg iac land scap e wi th O ld T estamentf i gu res convey ing the d i f f e ren t seasons and t imes o f t hed ay. E xecuted when the ar t ist was in f a i ling heal th suf f er ingf ro m a t remo r in h is hand s, t he S easons are a phi lo sop hica l

ref lect ion o n o rd er in t he natu ra l wor ld . T he icono grap hy evo kes the C h r ist ian themes o f d ea th

and resurrect ion .



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S p ring



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S umme r



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A ut umn



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W int e r



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A D a nce t o the M usic o f T ime , 1 6 3 9



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T ime (at t he r ight o f t he p aint ing, p lay ing a ly re) makes themus ic to wh ich the fou r f igu res dance . T he dancers havebeen va r ious l y i n te rp re ted : as the fou r seasons , i n t he i rend less ro und , o r as f o ur st at es of human li fe .

T wo p ut t i ( li t t le cherub ic f igures) s it in the f o reground : o neho ld s an hourg lass, t he o t her b lo ws a b ub b le , ind icat ing t heep hemeral charact er o f hap p iness.

T he s ta t ue a t the fa r le f t is J anus , t he t wo - faced R o mang o d .



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O t he r wo rks

T he P la gue o f A shd o d -- 1 6 3 0



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V e nus a nd A d o nis



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T riump h o f D a vid - 1 6 3 2 - 3 3



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S t .P e t e r a n d J o h n he a ling t he L a me ma n



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A p o llo a nd D a p hne -1 6 2 5



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E cho a nd N a rcissus- mid 1 6 3 0



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T ha nk Y o u

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Nicolas Poussin [Compatibility Mode]