Nicolas Poussin – painter of classicism
The pinnacle of classicism in painting, the French Academy proclaimed the work of the artist Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665). During his lifetime he was called “the most skillful and experienced of modern brush masters”, and after his death he was declared “the beacon of French painting.”
Being a vivid exponent of the ideas of classicism, Poussin developed a creative method based on his own idea of the laws of beauty. He saw his ideal in the proportionality of the parts of the whole, in the external orderliness, harmony and clarity of forms. His paintings are distinguished by a balanced composition, a rigid, mathematically verified system of organizing space, an accurate drawing, an amazing sense of rhythm based on the ancient doctrine of musical modes.
According to Poussin, the main criteria for artistic truth and beauty are reason and thought. That is why he urged to create in such a way as nature and reason teach it. When choosing topics, Poussin gave preference to heroic deeds and deeds, which were based on high civil motives, and not base human passions.
The main subject of art, according to the artist, is that which is connected with the idea of the sublime and the beautiful, which can serve as a role model and a means of educating the best moral qualities in a person. Poussin devoted his work to the glorification of a heroic man, capable of cognizing and transforming nature with the power of a mighty mind. His favorite characters are strong, strong-willed people with high moral qualities. They often find themselves in dramatic situations that require special concentration, greatness of spirit and strength of character. The painter conveyed their sublime feelings through poses, facial expressions and gestures.
Of the historical plots, Poussin chose only those in which there was action, movement and expression. He began work on the painting with a careful study of the literary source (Holy Scripture, “Metamorphoses” by Ovid or “The Liberated Jerusalem” by T. Tasso). If he met the set goals, the artist pondered not the difficult inner life of the heroes, but the culmination of the action. Mental struggle, doubts and disappointments were relegated to the background. Poussin’s usual plot formula was as follows: “The die is cast, the decision is made, the choice is made” (Yu. K. Zolotov).
The ideas of classicism, in his opinion, should reflect the composition of the picture. He contrasted improvisation with the carefully thought-out arrangement of individual figures and major groups.
The pictorial space should be easily visible, plans should clearly follow each other. For the action itself, only a small area in the background should be allotted. In most of Poussin’s canvases, the point of intersection of the diagonals of the picture turns out to be its most important semantic center.
The compositional system of Poussin’s paintings was based on two principles: the balance of forms (building groups around the center) and on their free ratio (shifting away from the center). The interaction of these two principles made it possible to achieve an extraordinary impression of orderliness, freedom and mobility of the composition.
Color is of great importance in Poussin’s artistic system. The interconnection of the main colorful sounds was achieved thanks to the system of reflexes: intense color in the center of the composition is usually accompanied by soft neutral colors.
Nicolas Poussin is the author of numerous paintings on mythological, historical, religious themes, as well as landscapes. In them, you can almost always find polished mise-en-scenes, full of meditation and drama. Turning to the distant past, he did not retell, but creatively recreated, rethought well-known stories.
N. Poussin’s painting “Arcadian Shepherds” is one of the heights of the artist’s work, where the ideas of classicism have found their full and vivid embodiment. In it one can feel the author’s aspiration for sculptural clarity of forms, plastic completeness and accuracy of drawing, clarity and balance of geometric composition, using the principle of the golden section. The severity of proportions, a smooth, clear linear rhythm perfectly conveyed the severity and sublimity of ideas and characters.
The picture is based on a deep philosophical thought about the transience of earthly existence and the inevitability of death. Four shepherds, residents of happy Arcadia (a region in southern Greece, which is a symbol of eternal prosperity, a serene life without war, disease and suffering), accidentally find a tomb among the bushes with the inscription: “Iya was in Arcadia. But now I am not among those living, just as there will be no you who are now reading this inscription. ” The meaning of these words makes them think … One of the shepherds humbly bowed his head, resting his hand on the tombstone. The second, kneeling down, runs his finger over the letters, trying to read the half-erased inscription.
The third, without taking his hands off the sad words, raises an inquiring glance at his companion. The woman on the right also looks calmly at the inscription. She put her hand on his shoulder, as if trying to help him come to terms with the thought of an inevitable end. Thus, the figure of a woman is perceived as the focus of spiritual peace, the philosophical balance to which the author brings the viewer.
Poussin clearly strives to create generalized images close to the canons of ancient beauty: they are really physically perfect, young and full of strength. The figures, in many ways resembling antique statues, are balanced in space. In their writing, the artist used expressive chiaroscuro.
The deep philosophical idea underlying the picture is expressed in a crystal clear and classically strict form. As in Roman relief, the main action takes place in a relatively shallow foreground. The composition of the picture is extremely simple and logical: everything is built on a carefully thought-out rhythm of balanced movements and is subordinated to the simplest geometric shapes achieved thanks to the accuracy of mathematical calculations. The characters are almost symmetrically grouped near the tombstone, linked by hand movements and the feeling of a prolonged pause. The author manages to create an image of an ideal and harmonious world, arranged according to the highest laws of reason.
The coloristic system of Poussin’s paintings was usually based on the author’s belief that color is the most important means for creating volume and depth of space. The division into planes was usually emphasized by the harmony of strong colors. In the foreground, yellow and brown colors usually predominated, in the second – warm, green, in the third – cold, primarily blue. In this picture, everything is subject to the laws of classical beauty: the color collision of a cold sky with a warm foreground, and the beauty of a naked human body, conveyed in even diffused lighting, was perceived especially effectively and sublimely against the background of the lush green foliage of a serene landscape.
In general, the picture was imbued with a sense of hidden sadness, peace and idyllic peace of mind. Stoic reconciliation with fate, a wise, dignified acceptance of death made Poussin’s classicism akin to the ancient worldview. The thought of death did not cause despair, but was perceived as an inevitable manifestation of the regularity of being.
