Nicolas Poussin

Nicolas Poussin

Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) was one of the most prominent artists of the classical French Baroque era.

Nicolas Poussin Summary

  • Born in Normandy, moved to Paris to become an artist against his father’s wishes
  • Discovered the great masters in the royal collections
  • Through the poet, Giambattista Marino, enjoyed some commissions from Marie de Medici
  • Living in Rome from 1624, he won a commission to paint in St. Peter’s Cathedral
  • First Painter of French King XIII in 1641, leaves because of overwork
  • All his life worked as a loner, through financial calamity and success
  • Like his contemporary and rival Claude Lorrain, he was born in France and moved to Italy where he lived until his death
  • Although his Baroque contemporaries produced religious images, Poussin focused on classical and mythological scenes
  • He was fascinated by Raphael’s works and drew influence from them in his paintings
  • Poussin became the First Painter to the French King but left after disagreements with the court
  • He never considered painting contemporary subjects

Nicolas Poussin’s Famous Paintings

  • The Death of Germanicus (1627)
  • The Inspiration of the Poet (1630)
  • Et in Arcadia Ego (1638)
  • Landscape with Saint John on Patmos (1630s)
  • A Dance to the Music of Time (1640)
  • Seven Sacraments (by 1640)
  • The Miracle of Saint Francis Xavier (1641)
  • The Judgement of Solomon (1649)
  • Blind Orion Searching for the Rising Sun (1658)
  • The Four Seasons (1664)

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