Masters history painting Lyakhova Kristina Alexandrovna
Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665)
Nicolas Poussin
Despite the fact that Poussin was very popular in Italy and regularly received orders, in his homeland, in France, court artists spoke negatively about his work. And Poussin himself, forced to live at the French court, yearned for sunny Italy and wrote eloquent letters to his wife, in which he reproached himself for putting a noose around his neck and wanting to escape from the power of “these animals”, return to his studio and do real art.
French painter Nicolas Poussin was born in Normandy, near Les Andelys. His father was a military man, the family did not live well. Little information has been preserved about Nicola's childhood and youth. It is believed that Quentin Varen, a wandering artist who came to the area where Poussin lived, became his first teacher.
Varen did not live long in the same place - he soon went to Paris. Nikola, interested in drawing, at the age of eighteen secretly left native home and went after his teacher. In Paris, he did not succeed and soon left it. Only a few years later the artist returned and lived in the capital for some time.
Poussin was interested not only in painting: he studied mathematics and anatomy, read the works of ancient writers, and also admired the works of Renaissance masters. Since Nicola did not have the opportunity to go to Italy, he got acquainted with the works of Raphael, Titian and other engraving artists.
While living in Paris, Poussin studied painting in the workshops of J. Lallemand and F. Ellet. The young man turned out to be a talented student and quickly learned all the lessons. Pretty soon, Nikola began to paint his paintings, which already characterized him as an established master. Poussin's popularity increased every year, and at the end of the 10s of the 17th century (Nikola was not even twenty-five years old), he was already fulfilling orders for the Luxembourg Palace in Paris. Soon the artist received an order to create a large altar image of the Assumption of the Mother of God.
Around this time, Poussin met the Italian poet, Cavalier Marino, whose poems were very popular at the time. At the request of Marino, the artist completed illustrations for Ovid's Metamorphoses, and then for his own poem Adonis.
Thanks to successful orders, Poussin was soon able to save up money to fulfill his dream - a trip to Italy. In 1624 he left Paris, where he had already become famous, and went to Rome.
Arriving in the capital of Italy, Poussin had the opportunity to get acquainted with the works famous artists which I already knew from engravings. However, he did not just walk around cathedrals and galleries, admiring and sketching what he saw. He used his time in Rome to supplement his education. Poussin carefully examined and measured the statues, carefully read the works of Alberti, Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer (the artist's illustrations for one of the lists of da Vinci's works have been preserved).
AT free time Poussin was interested in science and read a lot. Thanks to his comprehensive education, he gained the fame of an erudite and an artist-philosopher. A strong influence on the formation of Poussin's personality was exerted by his friend and customer Cassiano del Pozzo.
N. Poussin. "Rinaldo and Armida", 1625-1627, Pushkin Museum, Moscow
Poussin often took subjects for his paintings from literature. For example, the motive for the creation of the painting "Rinaldo and Armida" (1625-1627, Pushkin Museum, Moscow) was the poem "Liberated Jerusalem" by Torquato Tasso.
In the foreground is the sleeping Rinaldo, the leader of the crusaders. The evil sorceress Armida bent over him with the intention of killing him. However, Rinaldo is so handsome that Armida cannot fulfill his plan.
This work was painted in the traditions of the baroque style popular at that time: additional characters were introduced, for example, on the right side of the canvas, the master depicted a river god who put Rinaldo to sleep with the sound of water, and on the left - cupids playing with armor.
In 1626-1627 the artist created historical painting The Death of Germanicus (Institute of Arts, Minneapolis). Poussin perfectly conveyed the image of a courageous commander, the hope of the Romans, poisoned by order of the envious emperor Tiberius, who did not trust anyone.
Germanicus lies in bed, around which the soldiers crowded. One can feel their confusion because of what happened and at the same time determination, a desire to punish those responsible for the death of the commander.
The works brought success to Poussin, and soon he received an honorary order to make an altarpiece for St. Peter's Cathedral. In 1628, the artist completed the painting “The Martyrdom of St. Erasmus ”(Vatican Pinakothek, Rome), and soon after that -“ Descent from the Cross ”(c. 1630, Hermitage, St. Petersburg). Both of these canvases are closest to the Baroque traditions.
Then the master returned to the work of Tasso and painted the painting “Tancred and Erminia” (1630s, the Hermitage, St. Petersburg). A wounded Tancred appears before the viewer, lying on the ground. His friend, Vafrin, tries to support him, Erminia hurries to them.
She has just dismounted from her horse and with a quick movement of her hand she cuts off a lock of her hair with a sword in order to bandage the wound of her beloved.
In the 30s, Poussin wrote other works, the most famous of which is the work "The Arcadian Shepherds" (between 1632 and 1635, collection of the Duke of Devonshire, Chesworth; version 1650, Louvre, Paris). At the same time, the artist completed the order of Cardinal Richelieu and created a series of bacchanalia to decorate his palace. Of these paintings, only one has survived - "The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite" (Museum of Art, Philadelphia).
The popularity of the artist grew rapidly, soon it was already known in France. The master received an invitation to return to his homeland, but he delayed the trip as much as he could. Finally, he was handed a letter from King Louis XIII, who ordered him to immediately obey the order.
In the autumn of 1640, Poussin arrived in France and was appointed, by royal decree, the head of all artwork held in royal palaces. In Paris, he was met rather coldly - the court artists did not like his paintings, they envied his success and began to weave intrigues against Nicola. Poussin himself, in turn, tried to find an opportunity to return to Italy. In one of his letters, he said: "... if I stay in this country, I will have to turn into a mess, like others who are here."
Two years later, Poussin claims that he allegedly received a letter from which he learned that his wife was seriously ill. Under this pretext, he returns to Italy and remains in this country until the end of his life, where he has always been so warmly received.
Among the paintings painted in France, the most successful are “Time saves the Truth from Envy and Discord” (1642, Museum, Lille) and “The Miracle of St. Francis Xavier" (1642, Louvre, Paris).
Subsequent compositions by Poussin have already been made in the style of classicism. One of the most interesting works is Scipio's Generosity (1643, Pushkin Museum, Moscow). It was based on the legend of the Roman commander, the conqueror of Carthage, Scipio Africanus, who, by right of the winner, received the captive girl Lucretia as his property. However, he does Noble act, which strikes not only his close associates, but also the defeated Carthaginians - the Roman, although he loves the beautiful captive, returns her to the groom.
The master placed the figures on the canvas in one row, as in an antique relief. Thanks to this, you can see the posture, gesture and facial expression of each participant in this event - Scipio, sitting on the throne, the groom, bowing respectfully before him, Lucretia standing between them, etc.
At the end of his life, Poussin became interested in new genres - landscape and portrait ("Landscape with Polyphemus", 1649, Hermitage, St. Petersburg; "Landscape with Hercules", 1649, Pushkin Museum, Moscow; "Self-Portrait", 1650, Louvre, Paris).
The landscape so captivated the artist that he introduced its elements into another historical painting - “Focion's Funeral”, 1648, Louvre, Paris). The hero Phocion was unjustly executed by his fellow citizens. His remains were forbidden to be buried at home.
N. Poussin. "The generosity of Scipio", 1643, Pushkin Museum, Moscow
In the painting, Poussin depicted servants carrying the body of Focion out of the city on a stretcher.
In this work, for the first time, the opposition of the hero to the nature around him appears - despite his death, life goes on, a cart drawn by oxen slowly moves along the road, a horseman gallops, a shepherd tends his flock.
The last work of the artist was a series of landscapes under common name"Seasons". The most interesting paintings are "Spring" and "Winter". On the first, Poussin depicted Adam and Eve in a blooming paradise, on the second - the Flood.
The painting "Winter" became his latest work. Nicolas Poussin died in the autumn. His work had a significant impact on Italian and French artists of the second half of XVII and XVIII century.
In the 17th century, Spain, unlike such European countries, like Holland and England, was a backward and reactionary state. author Lyakhova Kristina Alexandrovna
Jacopo Tintoretto (1518-1594) Jacopo Tintoretto was born and raised in one of the modest quarters of Venice on the Fondamenta dei Mori. There he started a family and lived all his life. Being disinterested and indifferent to wealth and luxury, the artist often for the sake of being able to draw
From the book Masterpieces European artists author Morozova Olga VladislavovnaNicolas Poussin (1594-1665) Despite the fact that in Italy Poussin was very popular and regularly received orders, in his homeland, in France, court artists spoke negatively about his work. And Poussin himself, forced to live at the French court, yearned for the sunny
From the author's bookWillem Claesz Heda (1593/1594-1680/1682) Still life with cancer 1650-1659. National Gallery, London Dutch painting In the 17th century, still life became widespread. This genre was characterized by a variety of "sub-genres". Each master usually stuck to his theme. Most
A Norman by birth, Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) was born in Les Andelys, a small town on the banks of the Seine. Young Poussin was provided a good education and the opportunity to study initial stages artist's art. He learned a more detailed acquaintance with the secrets of craftsmanship after moving to Paris, where he studied with the masters.
The portrait painter Ferdinand Van Elle became the young painter's first mentor, and later Poussin studied with the master painter of churches - Quentin Varen, and the court painter Georges Lallemant, who adhered to the relatively new style of mannerism at that time. Copying paintings by recognized masters of painting also helped him to "fill his hand", he could freely do this at the Louvre.
The first period of creativity in Italy
In 1624, the name of Poussin was already known among connoisseurs of painting, and he himself was increasingly fascinated by creativity. Italian masters. Deciding that he learned everything he could from the French mentors, Poussin moved to Rome. Apart from Italian painting Poussin also highly appreciated poetry, largely due to his acquaintance with Giambattista Marino, a representative of gallant poetry. They became friends in Paris, and Nicola illustrated his friend's poem "Adonis". From the early Parisian period of the artist's work, only illustrations have survived to this day.
Poussin studied mathematics and anatomy, the sculptures of antiquity served him as models for sketches, and scientific works Durer and da Vinci helped in understanding how proportions human body should be transferred to visual arts. He acquired theoretical knowledge in geometry, optics, and the laws of perspective.
Carracci, Titian, Raphael and Michelangelo - the work of these masters deeply impressed French painter. The first years of his life in Rome were a time of searching for his own style, and his work then was characterized by sharp angles, gloomy tones and an abundance of shadows. Later it art style changed, the color scheme became warmer, and the elements of the paintings obeyed a single center. The theme of creativity of that time was the heroic plots and actions of ancient mythology.
By order of one of Poussin's Roman patrons, Cassiano del Pozzo, the artist created a series of paintings "The Seven Sacraments", and "The Destruction of Jerusalem" and "The Rape of the Sabine Women" brought him wider fame. To the mythological themes of his paintings, he added modern trends, streamlining the composition and transferring the action to the foreground of the picture. Poussin sought to achieve the naturalness of the provisions actors and give them gestures and facial expressions clear meaning. Harmony and unity with nature, characteristic of ancient myths, inspired the artist, this can be seen in the paintings "Venus and satyrs", "Diana and Endymion", "Education of Jupiter".
Ovid's "Metamorphoses" served as the basis for the "Kingdom of Flora", the picture became a kind of hymn to the rebirth and spring renewal of nature. The theoretical knowledge acquired earlier allowed him to strictly follow the accepted laws of composition, and warm, clear colors made the paintings truly alive (“Tancred and Erminia”, “Venus and the Shepherds”). Added additional accuracy to the images preliminary preparation: he made models of figures from wax, and before starting work on the picture, he experimented with the play of light and the position of these figures.
Parisian intrigues and return to Rome
The most successful years in Poussin's career were the years he spent working on the decoration of the Louvre Gallery at the invitation of Cardinal Richelieu (second half of the 30s). Having received the title of the first royal painter, he worked on the gallery, and on many other orders. Such success did not add to his popularity among fellow painters, and those who also applied for work in the Louvre were especially dissatisfied.
The intrigues of ill-wishers forced the artist to leave Paris and in 1642 again move to Rome. During this period of creativity (until the 50s), the Bible and the Gospel became the source of themes for Poussin's paintings. If in early works natural harmony reigned, now the heroes of the paintings are biblical and mythological characters who have won a victory over their passions and have willpower (Coriolanus, Diogenes). The iconic painting of that period is The Arcadian Shepherds, which speaks compositionally about the inevitability of death and the peaceful acceptance of this awareness. This painting became an example of classicism, the artist's manner acquired a more restrained character, not as emotionally lyrical as in the works of the first Roman period. AT color scheme the contrast of several colors became predominant.
The artist did not have time to complete his last work, "Apollo and Daphne", but it was in his paintings that French classicism was formed.
A Norman by birth, Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) was born in Les Andelys, a small town on the banks of the Seine. Young Poussin was provided with a good education and the opportunity to study the initial stages of the artist's art. He learned a more detailed acquaintance with the secrets of craftsmanship after moving to Paris, where he studied with the masters.
The portrait painter Ferdinand Van Elle became the young painter's first mentor, and later Poussin studied with the master painter of churches - Quentin Varen, and the court painter Georges Lallemant, who adhered to the relatively new style of mannerism at that time. Copying paintings by recognized masters of painting also helped him to "fill his hand", he could freely do this at the Louvre.
The first period of creativity in Italy
In 1624, the name of Poussin was already known among connoisseurs of painting, and he himself was increasingly fascinated by the work of Italian masters. Deciding that he learned everything he could from the French mentors, Poussin moved to Rome. In addition to Italian painting, Poussin also highly appreciated poetry, largely due to his acquaintance with Giambattista Marino, a representative of gallant poetry. They became friends in Paris, and Nicola illustrated his friend's poem "Adonis". From the early Parisian period of the artist's work, only illustrations have survived to this day.
Poussin studied mathematics and anatomy, the sculptures of antiquity served as models for his sketches, and the scientific works of Dürer and da Vinci helped in understanding how the proportions of the human body should be transferred to art. He acquired theoretical knowledge in geometry, optics, and the laws of perspective.
Carracci, Titian, Raphael and Michelangelo - the work of these masters deeply impressed the French painter. The first years of his life in Rome were a time of searching for his own style, and his work then was characterized by sharp angles, gloomy tones and an abundance of shadows. Later, his artistic style changed, the color scheme became warmer, and the elements of the paintings obeyed a single center. The theme of creativity of that time was the heroic plots and actions of ancient mythology.
By order of one of Poussin's Roman patrons, Cassiano del Pozzo, the artist created a series of paintings "The Seven Sacraments", and "The Destruction of Jerusalem" and "The Rape of the Sabine Women" brought him wider fame. To the mythological themes of his paintings, he added modern trends, streamlining the composition and transferring the action to the foreground of the picture. Poussin sought to achieve the naturalness of the positions of the characters and give their gestures and facial expressions a clear meaning. Harmony and unity with nature, characteristic of ancient myths, inspired the artist, this can be seen in the paintings "Venus and satyrs", "Diana and Endymion", "Education of Jupiter".
Ovid's "Metamorphoses" served as the basis for the "Kingdom of Flora", the picture became a kind of hymn to the rebirth and spring renewal of nature. The theoretical knowledge acquired earlier allowed him to strictly follow the accepted laws of composition, and warm, clear colors made the paintings truly alive (“Tancred and Erminia”, “Venus and the Shepherds”). Preliminary preparation gave additional accuracy to the images: he made models of figures from wax, and before starting work on the picture, he experimented with the play of light and the position of these figures.
Parisian intrigues and return to Rome
The most successful years in Poussin's career were the years he spent working on the decoration of the Louvre Gallery at the invitation of Cardinal Richelieu (second half of the 30s). Having received the title of the first royal painter, he worked on the gallery, and on many other orders. Such success did not add to his popularity among fellow painters, and those who also applied for work in the Louvre were especially dissatisfied.
The intrigues of ill-wishers forced the artist to leave Paris and in 1642 again move to Rome. During this period of creativity (until the 50s), the Bible and the Gospel became the source of themes for Poussin's paintings. If natural harmony reigned in the early works, now the heroes of the paintings are biblical and mythological characters who have defeated their passions and have willpower (Coriolanus, Diogenes). The iconic painting of that period is The Arcadian Shepherds, which speaks compositionally about the inevitability of death and the peaceful acceptance of this awareness. This painting became an example of classicism, the artist's manner acquired a more restrained character, not as emotionally lyrical as in the works of the first Roman period. In the color scheme, the contrast of several colors became predominant.
The artist did not have time to complete his last work, "Apollo and Daphne", but it was in his paintings that French classicism was formed.
Nicolas Poussin was born in 1594 in the Norman town of Les Andelys. Already in his youth he received a good general education and then began to study painting. At the age of 18 he went to Paris, where he continued his studies under the guidance of the famous portrait painter Van Elle at that time, and then with other masters. They helped him greatly to hone his technique - visits, where he copied the canvases of the Italians of the Renaissance.
During this period, Poussin gains some recognition. To further improve his skills, he went to Rome, which at that time was a Mecca for painters of all countries. Here he continued to hone his knowledge, studying treatises and, studying in detail and measuring the proportions antique sculptures by interacting with other artists. It was during this period that his work acquires the features of classicism, one of the pillars of which Nicolas Poussin is still considered to be.
The artist drew inspiration from the work of classical and contemporary poets, in theatrical performances, in philosophical treatises, in biblical topics. But even the canonical plots allowed him to depict the reality around him, filling the canvases with impeccably executed characteristic images, landscapes and plans. Craftsmanship and already established own style brought recognition to the artist in Rome, they began to invite him to paint cathedrals, ordered him paintings on classical and historical plots. It is to this period that the program canvas “The Death of Germanicus” belongs, which brought together all the inherent European classicism traits.
In 1639, at the invitation of Poussin, he again came to Paris to decorate the Louvre Gallery. A year later, Louis XIII, impressed by the talent of the artist, appoints him as his first painter. Poussin was recognized at court, they began to vying with him to order paintings for their castles and galleries. But the intrigues of the envious local artistic elite forced him to leave Paris again in 1642 and go to Rome. Here he lived until the end of his days, and last years life, of course, have become the most fruitful stage in ego creativity. Poussin at this time began to pay more attention to the image of the surrounding nature, spending a lot of time drawing from life. Certainly one of the best incarnations This direction in his work was the cycle "The Seasons", completed shortly before his death. Like other paintings by the painter, these canvases harmoniously combined naturalism and idealism, throughout creative life Nicolas Poussin's works that did not leave him.
The artist died in the autumn of 1665 in Rome.
