Priya Kapoor
French painter Nicolas Poussin spent most of his working life in Rome, where he specialised in history paintings depicting scenes from the Bible, ancient history, and mythology. In 1640, Poussin returned to France and was hired as a court painter by King Louis XIII, who granted him the title of First Painter to the King. However, Poussin soon became frustrated with the workload and court intrigues and returned to Rome after a little over a year. After Poussin's death, King Louis XIV amassed a significant collection of his works, many of which now hang in the Louvre, which has an entire gallery dedicated to Poussin's paintings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for Louis XIII's interest in Poussin's work | Impressed with his work |
| How Louis XIV gained the Nicolaus Poussin paintings | Poussin was invited to move to Paris to work for Louis XIII |
| Poussin's title | First Painter to the King |
| Poussin's tasks | Decorate the royal residence, execute designs for The Long Gallery of the Louvre, paint altarpieces for the King and members of his court |
| Poussin's feelings about the work | Unhappy due to the large number of commissions and assistants |
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What You'll Learn
Louis XIII's appreciation of Poussin's work
Nicolas Poussin was a French painter and draftsman who founded the French Classical tradition. He spent most of his working life in Rome, where he specialised in history paintings—depicting scenes from the Bible, ancient history, and mythology. His canvases are revered for their narrative intensity and their ordered approach to composition.
Poussin's work became well known in Rome, and he received invitations to return to Paris for important royal commissions, proposed by François Sublet de Noyers, the Superintendent of the Bâtiments du Roi for Louis XIII. Poussin initially declined, but eventually yielded and returned to Paris in December 1640. He was named First Painter to the King and was offered a substantial residence at the Tuileries Palace. His main tasks were to decorate the royal residence, execute designs for The Long Gallery of the Louvre, and paint altarpieces for the King and members of his court.
Poussin's work was appreciated by Louis XIII, who bestowed upon him the title of First Painter to the King. This title indicated a high level of appreciation and recognition for Poussin's artistic abilities. However, Poussin found himself overwhelmed by the large number of commissions and the lack of autonomy in his work for the King. He also faced criticism from partisans of other French painters and was unhappy with court intrigues. As a result, he left Paris and returned permanently to Rome in 1642.
Despite Poussin's relatively short stay in Paris, his influence on French painting was significant. His growing number of French patrons included members of high society, such as Cardinal Richelieu, who commissioned him to paint "The Triumph of Pan" and "The Triumph of Bacchus." Poussin's work continued to be appreciated by later French monarchs, such as Louis XIV, whose superintendent of finances, Nicolas Fouquet, was also a patron of Poussin.
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Poussin's move to Paris
Nicolas Poussin was born in Normandy, France, in 1594. At the age of 18, he moved to Paris without his family's permission, where he studied anatomy, perspective, and architecture and worked with minor masters such as Georges Lallemand and Ferdinand Elle. He also completed his earliest surviving works during this period.
Poussin's enthusiasm for the Italian works he saw in the royal collections in Paris motivated him to travel to Rome in 1624, where he studied the works of Renaissance and Baroque painters, especially Raphael, who had a powerful influence on his style. He also befriended artists who shared his classicizing tendencies and met important patrons, such as Cardinal Francesco Barberini and the antiquarian Cassiano dal Pozzo.
In 1640, Poussin was invited by King Louis XIII to move to Paris to work as the First Painter to the King. He was offered a substantial residence at the Tuileries Palace and was tasked with decorating the royal residence, executing designs for The Long Gallery of the Louvre, and painting altarpieces for the King and members of his court. Poussin became frustrated with the overwhelming number of commissions and the court intrigues, and he returned permanently to Rome in 1642.
Despite his brief stay in Paris, Poussin's work had a significant impact on the French art world. He specialized in scenes from the Bible, ancient history, and mythology, and his canvases are known for their narrative intensity and ordered approach to composition. His growing number of French patrons included the Abbé Louis Fouquet, brother of the Superintendent of Finances of the young Louis XIV.
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Poussin's royal commissions
The French painter Nicolas Poussin spent most of his working life in Rome, where he specialised in history paintings—depicting scenes from the Bible, ancient history, and mythology. His canvases are revered for their narrative intensity and their ordered approach to composition.
Poussin's early patrons included the Chanoine Gian Maria Roscioli, Cardinal Giulio Rospigliosi, and Cardinal Luigi Omodei. However, as his work became well known in Rome, he received invitations to return to Paris for important royal commissions, proposed by François Sublet de Noyers, the Superintendent of the Bâtiments du Roi for Louis XIII. Poussin initially declined, but eventually yielded to the offer of the title of First Painter to the King, plus a substantial residence at the Tuileries Palace.
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Poussin's unhappiness in Paris
The French painter Nicolas Poussin spent most of his working life in Rome, but he did return to Paris for a brief period from 1640 to 1642. He was invited back to Paris by François Sublet de Noyers, the Superintendent of the Bâtiments du Roi for Louis XIII, to be First Painter to the King. Poussin was initially reluctant to leave Rome, but eventually yielded to the offer, which included a substantial residence at the Tuileries Palace.
However, Poussin quickly became overwhelmed by the large number of commissions and unhappy with court intrigues. In his letters to his friends in Rome, Poussin expressed appreciation for the money and honours but struggled with the workload. He was used to working slowly and carefully, and now found himself working with a large team of assistants and frustrated by the peculiar mixture of the King's demands.
In the autumn of 1642, when the King and court were absent from Paris, Poussin took the opportunity to leave and return permanently to Rome. Upon his return, he found the art world in transition, with the new Pope, Innocent X, preferring Spanish over French culture. Poussin's patrons, the Barberinis, also departed Rome for France, and he settled in Rome for the rest of his life.
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Poussin's return to Rome
Nicolas Poussin was a French painter and draftsman who founded the French Classical tradition. He spent most of his working life in Rome, specialising in history paintings depicting scenes from the Bible, ancient history, and mythology.
Poussin first attempted to travel to Rome in 1617 or 1618, but only made it as far as Florence. He tried again in 1622, but only got as far as Lyon. Finally, in 1624, Poussin arrived in Rome, where he studied the works of Renaissance and Baroque painters, particularly Raphael, whose work had a powerful influence on his style.
In 1640, Poussin was invited to return to Paris to work for King Louis XIII. He was offered the title of First Painter to the King and a substantial residence at the Tuileries Palace. Poussin accepted the invitation and returned to Paris, where he was tasked with decorating the royal residence and executing designs for the Long Gallery of the Louvre. However, he became frustrated with the workload and the court intrigues, and in 1642, he found a pretext to return permanently to Rome.
During his time in Rome, Poussin continued to paint and develop his style. He befriended artists who shared his classicising tendencies and met important patrons, such as Cardinal Francesco Barberini and the antiquarian Cassiano dal Pozzo. He also received commissions from French patrons, including the Abbé Louis Fouquet, brother of the Superintendent of Finances of the young Louis XIV.
Poussin lived a quiet and unassuming life in Rome, working slowly and carefully on his paintings. He asked modest prices for his works, which were highly valued and sought after. He remained in Rome until his death in 1665.
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Frequently asked questions
Louis XIV gained access to Poussin's paintings through his Superintendent of Finances, Nicolas Fouquet, whose brother, Abbé Louis Fouquet, was a patron of Poussin.
Poussin began painting for Louis XIV, then known as King Louis XIII, after he was invited to move to Paris in 1640. Poussin was reluctant to leave Rome, but he eventually obliged and was given the title of First Painter to the King.
As First Painter to the King, Poussin was tasked with decorating the royal residence, executing designs for The Long Gallery of the Louvre, and painting altarpieces for the King and members of his court.
