Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) was a French painter born into a poor peasant family in Normandy. At the age of 8, he was inspired by a painter painting in the village church, which sparked his interest in art and his ambition to become a painter.
Compared to the previous self-portrait, I feel that this one is more vivid and interesting
In 1612, as an adult, Poussin left his hometown for Paris, where he joined the studio of the Methodist painter Lalmar to study painting. Here he developed a keen interest in the art of the Italian Renaissance, especially the work of Raphael.
In 1623, Poussin traveled to Italy at the invitation of an Italian poet friend, and Venice was Poussin's first stop in Italy.
We know that during the Renaissance, the Venetian school had a brilliant artistic brilliance, especially the works of masters such as body incense and Giorgione, and during his few months in Venice, Poussin was extremely impressed by the sensual splendor of the Venetian school.
In pursuit of a deeper understanding of art, Poussin traveled to Rome in 1624.
In Rome, he was exposed to a very different style from that of the Venetian school, which emphasized sketching, light color, and the sturdy shape of figures, while the latter was the opposite.
During this period, Poussin began experimenting with two very different styles of painting while painting mythological subjects, which became a pivotal period in his artistic career.
In addition, he made many friends with humanities scholars who had a profound impact on his way of thinking and level of knowledge. During his first period in Rome, from 1623 to 1640, Poussin made remarkable artistic achievements, and it was during this period that Poussin showed his Baroque style.
The Shepherds of Arcadia
Out of adoration of Titian, Poussin also painted works such as The Shepherds of Arcadia in 1629, revealing a true fascination with antiquity.
Arcadia is actually a piece of high ground in the middle of the Peloponnese Peninsula in southern Greece. In ancient times, it was inhabited by shepherds and hunters who worshipped the half-man, half-sheep god of mountains and animal husbandry, and in art and literature, Arcadia was depicted as a paradise pastoral.
The inscription on the tomb is said to have come from the ancient Roman poet Virgil, which means, "Even in Arcadia, I (the god of death) remains."
In other words, even in an idyllic world like Arcadia, the escapist is still not free from the companionship of death.
Although Poussin's works in Rome referenced and imitated the works of many Italian masters, and he also tried many painting styles, he always felt that he could not reach the level he wanted in his heart, and his admiration for ancient art was also reflected in his works.
He constantly explores different subjects, including mythology, religion and history, and since it often involves complex compositions and numerous images, Poussin always studies the relevant textual sources first, then draws sketches, and then arranges them on a small stage model with specially made wax figures. Sketches are then drawn on this basis, and finally resorted to canvas.
Interestingly, Poussin was in Italy, but he had already developed a certain influence in France, so much so that in the second half of the 17th and 30s, young artists in Paris deliberately followed Poussin's style.
However, when Poussin returned to Paris in 1840 and became Louis XIII's court painter, there was a steady stream of important commissions, as well as the envy of many other court painters. Poussin found that the commissions he had received were not necessarily what he could do, and that his work did not receive much praise.
Both his artistic ideals and his ethical standards conflicted with those of the French monarch. Two years later, Poussin had to return to Rome. His artistic career was full of twists and turns, but through continuous experiments and explorations, he became an outstanding painter of the Baroque period, and had a profound impact on the development of French art later.
Despite Poussin's firm belief that reason is the guiding principle of art, his characters are never cold and lifeless. Later generations of French painters, such as David, Ingres, and Cézanne, were admirers of Poussin.
It is a pity that he did not see him in person when he was alive, and his creation and painting style were accepted and recognized by the French Academy in the late 17th century.
In fact, his painting advocated that painting must face the most noble and serious situation of human beings, and must be expressed in accordance with the principles of reason and through typical and orderly forms; painting is not so much visual as spiritual, and other painting concepts have a fundamental role and significance for French neoclassicism.