BVA312 Nicholas Poussin and Claude Lorrain

Nicholas Poussin and Claude Lorrain

A Frenchman who spent almost his entire working life in Rome, Nicolas Poussin is considered the founder of the French classical tradition. He specialized in scenes from the Bible, ancient history, and mythology and his canvases are revered for their narrative intensity and their rational and ordered approach to composition. Poussin is admired for his strong use of color and his inclination to prioritize the cerebral over the emotional. He was able to demonstrate that art could be an intellectual pursuit and through his layering of meaning he produced paintings of extraordinary dramatic depth and allegorical complexity. Towards the latter part of his career, Poussin's art submitted to a further transformation as he diversified to depict landscapes and a series of pantheistic allegories that were expressed through the harmonious forces of nature. Though his reputation was downgraded in the first half of the 18th century, Poussin enjoyed something of a rebirth in the second half of that century when the Neoclassicist Jacques-Louis David and his followers championed Poussin's style above all other Classicists. Poussin's reputation has remained buoyant ever since.

Nicolas Poussin was born near the town in Les Andelys in Normandy in 1594. He was the child of a noble family who had fallen on hard times. He was schooled in many subjects, including Latin and letters, but showed a talent for drawing (he was apparently scolded by his teachers for doodling in his books). The French Baroque painter Quentin Varin came across his work whilst passing through Poussin's town and encouraged him to go into painting professionally. His parents, however, did not agree which led the young Poussin to run away to Paris in 1612 aged just 18.

About the Painting - The Realm of Flora (1630)

Here the goddess Flora dances and scatters blossoms in the midst of those whose deaths and transformations produced beautiful flowers throughout Metamorphoses, namely Ajax, Adonis, Clytia, Smilax, Hyacinth, crocus, and, in the center, Narcissus and Echo. The central position of Narcissus and Echo alone sets their story apart from the others, such that they literally appear individualistic. However, they are also figuratively individualistic as Narcissus and his mirrored image are united and encompassed by a circular boundary that lies within an outer circular boundary created by Narcissus and Echo. Essentially, a captivating circle from which the self-infatuated soul cannot escape is created. Echo proffers Narcissus to the vessel and is pictorially represented as his victim, yet she is also an accessory to his destruction, as her repetition of his words is what further fastens him to his reflection. Therefore, in Poussin’s interpretation, “self-love and self-negation are locked into one diagram of mutual extinction” (Panofsky). And since self-love and self-negation are at opposite ends of the individualism spectrum, it can be conclude that Poussin warns against both egoism and complete dependence. Both conditions create an optical illusion that enthralls its subject beyond the point of return to mental clarity. Essentially, a moderate amount of independence is ideal.

This painting, a spectacular example of Poussin's later landscapes, represents the narrative of the blind giant Orion, as told by the Greek writer Lucian (125-180 ACE). Art historian Mary Sprinson de Jesús comments that in this painting Poussin "appears to have surrendered control and lapsed momentarily in his love of order and geometry, permitting his imagination to lead him." We can see this from the richness of the landscape, in which clouds, trees and hills overwhelm the canvas. The sun named in the title begins to peak over the hill, but from where exactly is unclear. Unlike many of his earlier landscapes, the figures are not foregrounded and do not command our attention in the same way; rather, as Orion seems to be about to move from right to left, the spectator looks towards where he might be headed, rather than focus on his giant form. It is nature therefore that overwhelms the figures and represents through painting a new kind of psychic possibility.

Oil on canvas - The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City

Claude Lorrain was actually born under the name Claude Gellée (he came to be called by the name of the region of his birth after moving to Rome). The exact date of Claude's birth is disputed, but he was most likely born around 1604 or 1605. Claude was born into a poor peasant family; his father, Jean Gellée, and his mother, Anne (or Idatte) owned a small piece of land in the area.

The artist never married and kept a small household, but he did adopt a young girl named Agnès in 1658 (some hypothesize that the girl may have been Claude's own illegitimate daughter). In addition to Agnès, Claude enjoyed the company of his pupil Angeluccio, and also opened his home to two of his nephews as he began to suffer from debilitating arthritis. Despite his illness, Claude enjoyed a long life, finally passing away in 1682.

Lorrain's early paintings are steeped in the northern European landscape tradition, complete with charming picturesque details and compositional surprises. As is unsurprising for an artist who studied and worked in Rome, however, as Claude matured his paintings became increasingly classical in tone and theme. The later paintings are cooler and more idealized, and exude a more melancholy, wistful atmosphere than the more cheerful, bustling early pictures.

Claude Lorrain's paintings are perfect examples of the genre known as the idealized landscape, a type of painting pioneered by artists like Annibale Carracci and Domenichino, and perfected by Claude and Poussin. Claude's landscapes are thus simultaneously rooted in a strong naturalism, but beautified and idealized; Claude never shows the world's harsh realities, but instead a perfect image of nature as it should be.

An idealized landscape –

What do you see? An idyllic view of the landscape around the Italian town Tivoli. In the center of the painting is the outline of Tivoli on top of a hill. The city can be entered via the bridge in the middle. The city is full of big houses and ancient ruins. On top of the hill in the foreground is the ruin of the Temple of Vesta, which was built in the first century BC. Lorrain paints the city during sunset, causing some beautiful light effects. The sky is somewhat hazy and orange, the edges of the clouds are illuminated, and the landscape is largely in the shadow. In the foreground, Lorrain paints the Aniene River, including a small waterfall. The river is shallow and allows the group of cows and goats to cross the river to have a drink in a safe place. The three young men and the dog at the back of the herd follow suit. They are surrounded by some very large trees.

Claude Lorrain's luminous, hauntingly beautiful landscape paintings may be pioneering works of art in the genre of landscape, but Claude didn't get there alone. His style is the end result of years of study from the masters; Claude's major influences range from French and Italian contemporaries to the Venetian Renaissance.

France, Late 1630s - early 1640s

The painting is a repetition of the famous Seaport, which the artist created in 1637 (the Royal Collection, London). This piece is characterized by the gentleness of its style, which is characteristic for the first half of Lorrain's career. Despite its identical composition, the painting is distinguished by certain details (a different distribution and quantity of vessels, different staffage, etc.). The arch, one of the main elements of the image, is significantly simplified, as the artist often did when repeating his earlier landscapes. The seascape combines architectural fantasies and real ruins; the Roman arch and portico, the medieval towers behind them, and, further still, an Egyptian pyramid. However, the buildings merely serve to emphasize the main theme; the sea and the sunlight, which reflects off the wonderful architectural décor and returns to the mirror-like surface to the water. Lorrain painted another repetition in 1674 (Alte Pinakothek, Munich).