Eliezer and Rebecca – painted for Pointel (1648)

Eliezer and Rebecca – painted for Pointel (1648)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2nd floor, room 14 Oil on canvas, 118 x 197 cm, painted in 1648 for Pointel, a merchant from Paris whose collection primarily comprised paintings by Poussin. The canvas later became part of the collection of the Duke of Richelieu and was acquired by Louis XIV in 1665. There are … Continue reading Eliezer and Rebecca – painted for Pointel (1648)

The Arcadian Shepherds or Et In Arcadia Ego (circa 1640)

The Arcadian Shepherds or Et In Arcadia Ego (circa 1640)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2d floor, room 14 Oil on canvas, 85 x 121 cm Poussin painted this subject twice; this is the second version, more austere, which still relates to the discovery of a tomb on which is engraved with the epitaph “Et in Arcadia Ego” in the wilderness by shepherds. It is subject … Continue reading The Arcadian Shepherds or Et In Arcadia Ego (circa 1640)

The ecstasy of Saint Paul – painted for Paul Scarron (1649-1650)

The ecstasy of Saint Paul – painted for Paul Scarron (1649-1650)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2nd floor, room 14 Oil on canvas, 148 x 120 cm Details of the painting:    Paul Scarron (1610-1660), the famous hunchback poet, creator of the burlesque genre in France, who had a certain reputation and was linked to a popular luxury “salon”, commissioned Nicolas Poussin to do a canvas … Continue reading The ecstasy of Saint Paul – painted for Paul Scarron (1649-1650)

The Death of Sapphira (circa 1652)

The Death of Sapphira (circa 1652)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2d floor, room 14 Oil on canvas, 122 x 199 cm For Jacques Thuillier this painting is “one of the finest works of the 1650’s ; the staging uses a fully theatrical point of view, while providing admirable atmospheric effects on the distance animated with small characters.” [translated] Details of the painting:           … Continue reading The Death of Sapphira (circa 1652)

The Four Seasons or The course of History – painted for the Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

The Four Seasons or The course of History – painted for the Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2d floor, room 16 Les Quatre Saisons constitutes a synthesis of Poussin’s late style: in a setting emphasising the beauty of nature, the theme of the succession of the seasons merges with that of hours, periods of human life; the biblical narrative combines with classical mythology in a synthesis between … Continue reading The Four Seasons or The course of History – painted for the Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

Spring or The Earthly Paradise – painted for the 2d Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

Spring or The Earthly Paradise – painted for the 2d Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2nd floor, room 16 Oil on canvas, 117 x 160 cm According to Félibien, this canvas was painted for the Duke of Richelieu (nephew of the cardinal) between 1660 and 1664. Also called Le Paradis terrestre (The Earthly Paradise) or Adam et Ève dans le Paradis terrestre (Adam and Eve … Continue reading Spring or The Earthly Paradise – painted for the 2d Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

Winter or The Flood – painted for the Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

Winter or The Flood – painted for the Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2nd floor, room 16 Oil on canvas, 118 x 160 cm Below are details of the work:     Winter or The Flood is part of The Four Seasons series:        “Men of genius have often announced their exit by means of chefs-d’oeuvres” L’Hiver (Winter) is part of the Four Seasons … Continue reading Winter or The Flood – painted for the Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

Landscape with Diogenes (circa 1657)

Landscape with Diogenes (circa 1657)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2d floor, room 14 Oil on canvas , 160 x 221 cm Among the most majestic landscapes of the 17th century For Pierre Rosenberg « The work is among the most majestic landscapes of the XVIIth century. The beauty and variety of blues and greens, the masterly layering of the planes, the … Continue reading Landscape with Diogenes (circa 1657)

Apollo in love with Daphne (1664)

Apollo in love with Daphne (1664)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2d floor, room 14 Oil on canvas, 155 x 200 cm Below are details of the painting :           Bellori‘s description of the work: “Apollo’s love came from a quarrel with Cupid, which of them would win in the use of the bow? Apollo is seated and, already hit … Continue reading Apollo in love with Daphne (1664)

Self-portrait at The Louvre – painted for Paul Fréart de Chantelou (1650)

Self-portrait at The Louvre – painted for Paul Fréart de Chantelou (1650)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2nd floor, room 14 Oil on canvas, 98 x 74 cm Poussin painted two self-portraits in the same year, one for Jean Pointel, which is now kept at the Gemäldegalerie of Berlin, the other – which set the image of Poussin for posterity – for Paul Fréart de Chantelou, a friend … Continue reading Self-portrait at The Louvre – painted for Paul Fréart de Chantelou (1650)

Landscape with Orpheus and Eurydice (1650-1653)

Landscape with Orpheus and Eurydice (1650-1653)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2nd floor Oil on canvas, 124 x 200 cm, collection of Louis XIV The subject is taken from Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Eurydice has just been killed by a snake, on the exact same day as her wedding to Orpheus, but he is playing the lyre, not having noticed this accident causing … Continue reading Landscape with Orpheus and Eurydice (1650-1653)

The Abduction of the Sabine Women – painted for Cardinal Luigi Omodei (1637-1638)

The Abduction of the Sabine Women – painted for Cardinal Luigi Omodei (1637-1638)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2d floor, room 14 Oil on canvas, 159 x 206 cm The subject, taken from Plutarch’s life of Romulus, illustrates the moment when the Romans seize the Sabine women in order to take them for their wives. Details of the painting:               A previous version of this composition, The … Continue reading The Abduction of the Sabine Women – painted for Cardinal Luigi Omodei (1637-1638)

The Israelites gathering the Manna in the desert – painted for Chantelou (1637-1639)

The Israelites gathering the Manna in the desert – painted for Chantelou (1637-1639)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2nd floor, room 14 Oil on canvas, 149 x 200 cm, completed in 1639 for Chantelou. Subject drawn from the story of Moses. Details of the work:                   Below is an analysis (in French) of the painting provided by the CED (requires the flash plugin):