DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63509#0013
NICOLAS POUSSIN.
DIED 1665. AGED 71.
The instructions which Poussin received, under Ferdinand and Lallemand,
were so scanty, and had so little influence on his style, that he is justly termed
by Voltaire “ El'eve de son genie*.”
He was born in 1594, at Andelys in Normandy, of a noble but indigent
family; and removing to Paris, practised, chiefly in distemper, from his
eighteenth to his twenty-eighth year, with very moderate success; when, en-
couraged by the Cavalier Marino with promises of support and introduction,
he went to Rome for improvement. Soon after his arrival the death of his
patron disappointed his hopes, and left him friendless and a stranger. Con-
scious genius, however, enabled him in defiance of fortune to pursue his
studies of the antique, and of the great works of the Roman school f.
At first the colouring of Titian attracted a part of his attention, and enrich-
ed his manner; but afterwards he became wholly absorbed in the antique.
Convinced that all the dispersed beauties of Nature were collected in the
compositions of the ancients, he considered these only the proper objects of
imitation. Hence the ancient costumes, mythology, and rites became his
elements—his scenery is pure classic ground J.
Sublime invention, truth of expression, elegant proportions, draperies in
the beautiful antique taste, and magnificent landscape, replete with grand
effects of perspective and noble architecture, had they been accompanied with
the charms of colour, would have fascinated every spectator; but the skill
which expresses the emotions of mind was his peculiar excellence, and ob-
tained him the title of “the Philosopher’s painter ||.”
* Histoire <lu Siecle de Louis XIV. f De Piles.
j Fuseli. Note on Pilkington.
|| Lenoir Histoire des Arts en France.
DIED 1665. AGED 71.
The instructions which Poussin received, under Ferdinand and Lallemand,
were so scanty, and had so little influence on his style, that he is justly termed
by Voltaire “ El'eve de son genie*.”
He was born in 1594, at Andelys in Normandy, of a noble but indigent
family; and removing to Paris, practised, chiefly in distemper, from his
eighteenth to his twenty-eighth year, with very moderate success; when, en-
couraged by the Cavalier Marino with promises of support and introduction,
he went to Rome for improvement. Soon after his arrival the death of his
patron disappointed his hopes, and left him friendless and a stranger. Con-
scious genius, however, enabled him in defiance of fortune to pursue his
studies of the antique, and of the great works of the Roman school f.
At first the colouring of Titian attracted a part of his attention, and enrich-
ed his manner; but afterwards he became wholly absorbed in the antique.
Convinced that all the dispersed beauties of Nature were collected in the
compositions of the ancients, he considered these only the proper objects of
imitation. Hence the ancient costumes, mythology, and rites became his
elements—his scenery is pure classic ground J.
Sublime invention, truth of expression, elegant proportions, draperies in
the beautiful antique taste, and magnificent landscape, replete with grand
effects of perspective and noble architecture, had they been accompanied with
the charms of colour, would have fascinated every spectator; but the skill
which expresses the emotions of mind was his peculiar excellence, and ob-
tained him the title of “the Philosopher’s painter ||.”
* Histoire <lu Siecle de Louis XIV. f De Piles.
j Fuseli. Note on Pilkington.
|| Lenoir Histoire des Arts en France.