NICHOLAS POUSSIN.
xliii
“ consormable to their actions, so that every beholder
“ seels himself excited by similar feelings to the per-
“ sons he sees in the piece.”
At the commencement of the year 1648, Poussin
sent off the last picture of the series of the Sacraments ;
and in the same year he finished sor Monsieur du
Frene Anequin, the Virgin seated on a step, with the
infant Saviour on her knees ; for the Sieur Pointel,
the beautiful picture of Rebecca at the Wellj for
Monsieur Lumague a Landscape, in which is intro-
duced Diogenes casting away his cup ; for the Sieur
Cerisiers, a Landscape with the interment os Phocion,
and a companion. A Landscape divided by a high
road ; also a small picture of the Baptism of St. John,
which was done for Monsieur de Chantelou.
In 1649 were produced a grand Landscape with the
story of Polyphemus ; the Holy Family with Angels,
a composition of ten figures ; and the Judgment of
Solomon. These were all executed sor Monsieur
Pointel.
During the succeeding year, he painted for Monsieur
Scarron the Vision of St. Paul, differing somewhat
srom the former one ; and sor the Sieur Stella, a picture
of Moses striking the Rock, varying in every way
from the one he sormerly did for Monsieur de Gillier,
In reply to a criticism on this picture, to the effect
that the channel in which the water ran was too deep,
and had not the appearance of recent production, nor
suitable to the arid nature of a desert, he observes,
“ One must not stop at this difficulty ; it may readily
“ be credited that I do not work by accident, and that
xliii
“ consormable to their actions, so that every beholder
“ seels himself excited by similar feelings to the per-
“ sons he sees in the piece.”
At the commencement of the year 1648, Poussin
sent off the last picture of the series of the Sacraments ;
and in the same year he finished sor Monsieur du
Frene Anequin, the Virgin seated on a step, with the
infant Saviour on her knees ; for the Sieur Pointel,
the beautiful picture of Rebecca at the Wellj for
Monsieur Lumague a Landscape, in which is intro-
duced Diogenes casting away his cup ; for the Sieur
Cerisiers, a Landscape with the interment os Phocion,
and a companion. A Landscape divided by a high
road ; also a small picture of the Baptism of St. John,
which was done for Monsieur de Chantelou.
In 1649 were produced a grand Landscape with the
story of Polyphemus ; the Holy Family with Angels,
a composition of ten figures ; and the Judgment of
Solomon. These were all executed sor Monsieur
Pointel.
During the succeeding year, he painted for Monsieur
Scarron the Vision of St. Paul, differing somewhat
srom the former one ; and sor the Sieur Stella, a picture
of Moses striking the Rock, varying in every way
from the one he sormerly did for Monsieur de Gillier,
In reply to a criticism on this picture, to the effect
that the channel in which the water ran was too deep,
and had not the appearance of recent production, nor
suitable to the arid nature of a desert, he observes,
“ One must not stop at this difficulty ; it may readily
“ be credited that I do not work by accident, and that