DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45257#0423
NICOLAS POUSSIN AND SIMON VOUET 249
Nicolas Poussin also adopted a style of his own,
although it was of a different kind. He was greatly
attracted by the antique and his heart was set on
visiting Rome, whither, after long struggles in
Paris, he at length found his way. There he re-
ceived from the painter Domenichino the necessary
training for the work which he desired to take
up. The French sculptor Quesnoy befriended him,
and the poet Marino introduced him to Cardinal
Barberini, who commissioned from him two pic-
tures : The Death of Germanicus and The Capture
of f erusalem. When fame came to him France
reclaimed him. He was greatly favoured by Riche-
lieu and entrusted with the decoration of the Louvre.
He found, however, a rival in this enterprise in the
person of Simon Vouet; and difficulties arose,
because Poussin claimed his right to carry out the
whole work independently and on his own responsi-
bility. Finding that he could not attain this object,
he returned to Rome under the pretext of fetching
his wife and never returned. He lived thence-
forth in Italy ; for, like the Brothers le Nain, he
had no desire to become a Court Painter. His pic-
tures were, nevertheless, greatly admired in France
during his lifetime; and there are no less than nine
large canvases by him in the Galerie des Peintures
at the Musee Conde, besides numerous drawings.
Amongst these may be noted : The Infancy of Bac-
chus ; Theseus finding his Father s Sword (with a
striking architectural background); and Numa Pom-
pilius and the Nymph Rgeria, a composition wherein
Nicolas Poussin also adopted a style of his own,
although it was of a different kind. He was greatly
attracted by the antique and his heart was set on
visiting Rome, whither, after long struggles in
Paris, he at length found his way. There he re-
ceived from the painter Domenichino the necessary
training for the work which he desired to take
up. The French sculptor Quesnoy befriended him,
and the poet Marino introduced him to Cardinal
Barberini, who commissioned from him two pic-
tures : The Death of Germanicus and The Capture
of f erusalem. When fame came to him France
reclaimed him. He was greatly favoured by Riche-
lieu and entrusted with the decoration of the Louvre.
He found, however, a rival in this enterprise in the
person of Simon Vouet; and difficulties arose,
because Poussin claimed his right to carry out the
whole work independently and on his own responsi-
bility. Finding that he could not attain this object,
he returned to Rome under the pretext of fetching
his wife and never returned. He lived thence-
forth in Italy ; for, like the Brothers le Nain, he
had no desire to become a Court Painter. His pic-
tures were, nevertheless, greatly admired in France
during his lifetime; and there are no less than nine
large canvases by him in the Galerie des Peintures
at the Musee Conde, besides numerous drawings.
Amongst these may be noted : The Infancy of Bac-
chus ; Theseus finding his Father s Sword (with a
striking architectural background); and Numa Pom-
pilius and the Nymph Rgeria, a composition wherein