DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52800#0169
FRENCH SCHOOL.—poussin.
149
mandy. He was descended of a noble family
whose fortunes had been ruined during the civil
wars of Charles IX. and Henry III.; his father
had served in the army of Henry IV.
Poussin, having received a classical education,
and being particularly attached to painting, adopted
that art as his profession, and from the commence-
ment of his career made the study of the antique
his principal care. Not finding any one in France
to instruct him according to the elevated ideas
which he had formed from a contemplation of the
works of Raphael, as conveyed to him through the
engravings of Marc Antonio Riamondi, he deter-
mined on making Rome his principal residence;
and accordingly went to that capital for the pur-
pose of studying the works of the great masters
themselves, and those noble specimens of Grecian
antiquity which were concentrated there.
Poussin had many difficulties to contend with
shortly after his arrival at Rome; he had been
invited thither by the celebrated Italian poet, the
Cavaliere Marino, who introduced him to the Car-
dinal Barberini; the cardinal shortly afterwards
quitted Rome on his legation to Spain, and the Ca-
valiere Marino dying about the same period, left him
a friendless and unknown stranger in a great capi-
tal, without money, and nothing but his genius
and talents to depend on for subsistence. His
149
mandy. He was descended of a noble family
whose fortunes had been ruined during the civil
wars of Charles IX. and Henry III.; his father
had served in the army of Henry IV.
Poussin, having received a classical education,
and being particularly attached to painting, adopted
that art as his profession, and from the commence-
ment of his career made the study of the antique
his principal care. Not finding any one in France
to instruct him according to the elevated ideas
which he had formed from a contemplation of the
works of Raphael, as conveyed to him through the
engravings of Marc Antonio Riamondi, he deter-
mined on making Rome his principal residence;
and accordingly went to that capital for the pur-
pose of studying the works of the great masters
themselves, and those noble specimens of Grecian
antiquity which were concentrated there.
Poussin had many difficulties to contend with
shortly after his arrival at Rome; he had been
invited thither by the celebrated Italian poet, the
Cavaliere Marino, who introduced him to the Car-
dinal Barberini; the cardinal shortly afterwards
quitted Rome on his legation to Spain, and the Ca-
valiere Marino dying about the same period, left him
a friendless and unknown stranger in a great capi-
tal, without money, and nothing but his genius
and talents to depend on for subsistence. His