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Nicolas Poussin, C1594-1665: the Late Mythological Landscapes: The

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NICOLAS POUSSIN, C1594-1665: THE LATE MYTHOLOGICAL LANDSCAPES: THE LAST SYNTHESIS by ROSEMARY ANN WATKINS • B. A., University of Manitoba, 1951 B. L. S. (Honors) University of Toronto, 1955 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of Fine Arts We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA August, 1969 ii In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and Study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by his representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thes,is for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of / tAXjlL The University of British Columbia Vancouver 8, Canada Da t e QtcC^Ug^Lt / 7, l^G^f. iii ABSTRACT Galileo's confirmation of Copernican cosmology was one of the major cultural problems of seventeenth-century Europe. Which was right? The reasoned experiments of science, or the faith of the Roman Catholic Church, which condemned such cosmology as contrary to Holy Writ? Nicolas Poussin, the classical French painter in Rome, offered his personal solution to this dilemma in his final paintings, mainly landscapes, usually mythological, but always allegorical. From antique, sixteenth- century and Campanellan thought, particularly Stoicism, he depicted the order and harmony of Creation by means of allegory. He concluded with Campanella that contemplation of the Copernican universe offered a means of spiritual growth.. To Poussin, the Stoic Divine Reason behind Nature became the sign of eternal salvation offered by God to those who accepted union with Him. In particular, he.felt that this union depended upon Man*s use of the Christian sacraments to obtain the grace needed to act in co-operation with God. This fusion of religious feeling with philosophical conviction caused an exquisite integration of form with complex allegorical content, in an intense unity characteristic of the age of the Baroque. The masterly classical freedom and precision of Poussin1s final manner adapted all pictorial elements in order to arouse delectation, or spiritual delight, in the person who perceived his pictures. vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS For help in doing this thesis, I wish to thank especially the follow• ing persons: first, those people working at this University, particularly Professor George Rosenberg, Executive Secretary, Department of Fine Arts, my faculty advisor, his assistants and associates; Miss Melva Dwyer, Art Librarian, and all her assistants, especially Mrs. Diana Kraetschmer; Professor James Russell of the Department of Classics; Professor Leslie Miller of the Department of German; Mrs. Joan Seiby, Head of the Humanities Division of the Library, and her assistants; Mrs. Yandle of the Special Collections Division, and hers.} I am also indebted to* the staff of the Art and Music Section of the Vancouver Public Library; my parents for much encouragement and the provision of a typewriter to reproduce this thesis; Miss Pauline Olthof who has kindly helped me proof-read ity in addition to my parents. Any errors or omissions of acknowledgment or in the body of this thesis are my responsibility. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION '(,. ri. CHAPTER I. THE BACKGROUND FOR THE LATE LANDSCAPES: POUSSIN'S LIFE, WORK AND HUMAN CONTACTS 3 Aim of this Chapter 3 Poussin's Life; His Early Mythological Allegories; His Religious Fainting 3 Poussin's Main Patrons and Friends in His Last Years 21 Paul Freart de Chantelou 21 Charles Lebrun 23 Cardinal Camillo Massimi .... 24 Abb6 Claude Nicaise 25 Michel Passart 26 Pbintel 26 Commendatore Cassiano dal Pozzo 28 Due de Richelieu 31 Jacques Stella 33 Giovanni Domenico Campanella 35 CHAPTER II. POUSSIN AS A LANDSCAPE PAINTER 40 The influence of Claude Lorraine 45 CHAPTER III. PICTORIAL ANALYSIS 47 Aim of this Chapter 47 Landscape with Polyphemus 49 Landscape with Orpheus and Eurydice 57 Landscape with Pyramus and Thisbe 69 Birth of Bacchus 75 Landscape with Orion 82 Landscape with Hercules and Cacus 85 Landscape with Two Nymphs and a Snake 92 The Four Seasons, 94 Spring / 101 Summer 103 Autumn. 106 Winter 109 Apollo and Daphne 113 CHAPTER IV. POUSSIN'S IDEAS ON RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY 121 CHAPTER V. POUSSIN'S IDEAS ON PAINTING AND HIS METHOD OF WORK . .129 Page CHAPTER VI. FOUSSIN'S LATE STILE 141 CHAPTER VII. CONCLUSION 149 ABBREVIATIONSi WORKS CITED IN BRIEF IN THE FOOTNOTES 155 FOOTNOTES BY CHAPTER: INTRODUCTION .157 CHAPTER I .158 CHAPTER II 179 CHAPTER III .182 CHAPTER IV .203 CHAPTER V . .206 CHAPTER VI ..... ' . .210 BIBLIOGRAPHY (with some annotations) .211 APPENDIX: FELIBIEN'S DESCRIPTION OF THE FOUR SEASONS (translated). .221 vi LIST OF TABLES AND ILLUSTRATIONS Page TABLES!:: I. PICTURES OF POUSSIN IN POZZO'S COLLECTION 32 ILLUSTRATIONS:. PLATE I.. LA GIRANDOLA .64 PLATE II. THE CASTEL SANT'ANGELO 65 PLATE III.POUSSIN»S DRAWING OF THE MILVIAN BRIDGE 66 1 INTRODUCTION The late landscapes of Nicolas Poussin (cl594-1665) are a richly expressive, imaginative and personal synthesis of form and content. This synthesis, analogous to the intense organic unity of poetry, is epitomized in three ways in the phrase ut pictura poesis. "as is painting, so is poetry,which came to mean "as is poetry, so is painting." First, it indicates the poetic quality of the late landscapes. Secondly, it recalls the formal, philosophical, and literary inspiration Poussin drew from classical and early Christian antiquity to paint them. Lastly it signifies his digestion of all the aspects of Renaissance art theory implicit in this saying by the seventeenth century, to the extent that Poussin invested this simile with deep meaning.z However, in'"the final period of his art, Poussin went beyond the humanistic attitude to painting connected to this dictum to depict a view of the world more representative of his century. The grandeur of sentient nature becomes pre-eminent. Mythological figures represent natural activity. Human beings are apparently puny, in size although not in significance. I believe that Poussin was accepting Copernican cosmology as interpreted by the philosopher Tommaso Campanella, his contemporary. Also, the importance of depicting nature expressed by Leonardo da Vinci in his 3 Treatise on Painting;? which Poussin had helped illustrate, appears to have influenced his acceptance of such philosophy. While fully expressing creative and destructive Nature, Poussin shows forth in his final paintings the primary, and eternal significance of the actions of God for Man. 2 In order to appreciate the mythological landscapes painted by Poussin between 1658 and 1664, it is essential to understand the main events of his life, particularly his last years, for "one cannot understand the artist without becoming acquainted with the man."^ It is necessary to know those people in Paris and Rome with whom he was connected, whom he served, and who were sympathetic to his artistic aims, especially at that time. Since his late landscapes are a synthesis of his earlier work, a review of his development in drawing and painting clarifies his final art. The sixteen-thirties are embryonic in his total artistic development, while the sixteen-fifties and sixties show a moving and novel contribution to the landscape genre moderately influenced by Claude Lorraine, as well as by Leonardo-da Vinci's work. This is demonstrated by a stylistic and icono- graphical analysis of Poussin1s late works, including a few earlier transi• tional paintings related to them in form and theme. A three-fold discussion follows. A consideration of Poussin's ideas on painting and his method of work show how the rich fusion of form and content in these paintings reflects a deeper conception of the nature of his art. This new depth is related to his ideas on philosophy and religion, both ancient and of his own time, explained in the preceding chapter (see Contents). All his ideas—on religion, philosophy and art—dynamically determine his late style, a richly expressive, imaginative, personal synthesis of content with form. 3 CHAPTER I THE BACKGROUND FOR THE LATE LANDSCAPES: POUSSIN'S LIFE, WORK AND HUMAN CONTACTS Aim of this Chapter This chapter gives a biography of Poussin concentrating on his late life. It discusses his development of mythology for allegory before that time. It comments upon his treatment of religious topics. Finally it contains biographies of the main patrons and friends of his old age. Because Poussin's late landscapes appear to express ideas held by his contemporary, the Dominican friar Tommaso Campanella, the chapter concludes with a biography of this philosopher. Foussin's Life; His Early Mythological Allegories; His Religious Painting The self-portraits of Nicolas Poussin (<L 594-1665) show us what he looked like at thirty-six and at fifty-six. For his seniority we must rely on the verbal description of Bellori. He drew a Rembrandtes.crue likeness of himself while he was ill in 1630 (figure 94)• Bernini commented that the self-portrait of 1649-1650 in Ghantelou's possession was a good likeness-.' —Bellori said his friend was tall, well-proportioned and of a rare temperament; his complexion was somewhat olive-colored, and his black hair was mainly whitened by age. His eyes were almost sky-blue; his sharp nose and broad forehead made his modest face look noble...-,«.., ...his clothing was not splendid but severe. 2; Bellori believed Poussin's character was reflected in his appearance, so well shown also in Chantelou's picture (plate 197) for he described Poussin as wise, noble in thought, shy of frequenting the aristocracy, but treating 4 all his friends of whatever rank with the simple hospitality offered in his- 3 modest home.
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