Nicolas Poussin Videography Project

Nicholas Polson's style is referred to by Ardable as utterly distinct in Baroque art. Polson's style is different from many of his peers of the Baroque period in that it is said to be cool, celebral, intellectual, and detached. His style does not reflect the vivacity of Rubens, the drama of Cavacchio, or the absolute realism of Velázquez. Polson was obsessed with his art, planning every detail. Polson's style had an enormous impact and influence on the future of Western art. Polson was born in 1594 in the small town of Les Adelies on the Seine River. The area with its beautiful hills may have had an impact on his love and devotion to landscapes later in his life. Born into a noble but poor family, he was nonetheless educated as befit his rank. This would include Latin as well as the sciences and scholarly interests. Polson would pursue learning all of his adult life. Although he was born and raised in France, Polson would spend the majority of his adult life living in Italy. Arriving in Rome at the age of 30, he would not return to France except for a brief time at the invitation of King Louis XIII and under pressure by Cardinal Richelieu. Polson's ability to draw was recognized by Quentin Varin at an early age, and he may have learned the basics of art from him. At the age of 17, Polson moved to Rome where he supposedly studied under Noël Jauvinet. In 1612, Polson moved to Paris where he learned anatomy and architecture. At that time, he was introduced to the work of the Italian Renaissance masters, and he made two unsuccessful tries to go to Rome. In 1622, Polson was commissioned by the Jesuits to create six large paintings. It was during this time period that his work was seen by Giambattista Marino, an Italian poet who commissioned drawings based on Ovidian mythology. Marino also encouraged Polson to come to Rome. There have been many attempts to identify Polson's work from this pre-Roman period, but the only ones that have been confirmed are the Marino drawings. It would be 1624 before Polson finally arrived in Rome. This initial period in Rome was a difficult one for him, as soon after he arrived, his benefactor Marino moved to Naples. In order to survive, Polson created numerous biblical and mythological paintings in advance of orders, hoping to find buyers for his work. These paintings are said to show the influence that his visit to Venice had on him as he traveled to Rome. The glowing color and loosely constructed compositions are indicative of that influence. These early works tend to be poetic mythologies based on unrequited love and reveal an emotional intensity that Polson would later suppress. Marino introduced him to Marcello Sassieri, who then introduced him to Cardinal Barberini and his secretary Cassiano Dal Pozzo. Polson would find himself in financial straits again when Barberini left for Spain, but his situation stabilized upon their return in 1626. As a result of Barberini's patronage, Polson created Death of Germanicus, which reflects the inspiration of the Malagre sarcophagus, the Massacre of the Innocents, which solidified his growing reputation, and he achieved his public debut with the commission of the altarpiece, the Martyrdom of St. Erasmus. The encyclopedia says that Polson's altarpiece did not meet with a critical acclaim, however, and it effectively helped to end his career as a public painter in Rome. Polson decided to devote his time to easel paintings, concentrating on subtlety and refinement. Much of his art of the late 1620s was devoted to Romantic mythology. Evidence of his growing reputation can be seen in his election as a member of the Guild of St. Luke in Rome in 1632. It was during this time period that his art underwent a change in direction as well. Polson rejected the influence of Venetian painting and instead adopted a more cerebral style that emphasizes clearly delineated modeled forms and cold, pure colors. His painting became more ordered and complex. This meant he would create initial or preparatory drawings for his work. The Adoration of the Magi in 1633 is a good example of this change in style and is modeled after an earlier work. As his reputation grew, so did his commissions. Cardinal Richelieu commissioned a series of Bacchanals. Polson created work for Philip IV, King of Spain, and a series of paintings centered on the Seven Sacraments, or the rites of the early church. The Israelis Gathering the Manna was painted for Paul Friart de Chateau, who became a good friend and one of his greatest patrons. This work was the most ambitious of his career, and according to Polson, was designed to be read by the viewer. This work is an intellectual approach to painting, which captures a complex series of events into a single image. This type of approach, which was used often by Polson, meant he would study the poses for each of his figures, often crafting them in clay before beginning to paint. This painting is currently hanging in Paris at the Louvre, and it shows the distribution of the manna. Its aim was to show the people in groups collecting the manna. According to Blunt, everyone must be a participant in order to survive. The encyclopedia states that this painting is a unique case of reverse offering, which in fact reinforces the symbiotic nature of the relationship. It was this work that would earn Polson the moniker Painter-Philosopher. While he remained in Rome, many of his commissions were from French patrons. Between 1644 and 1648, he created a second series of paintings on the Seven Sacraments. This work shows how his work and style had developed and were meant to be more accurate archaeologically. All of these paintings were representative of early Christian times, and Polson's work recreates the way it might have looked, including the buildings, furniture, and clothing. The French Academy would later codify this principle of historical accuracy, and it would have a lasting impact on historical paintings, especially those of the neoclassic period. Polson summarized what he termed his theory of modes in 1647. This theory would become important for the next generation of artists, especially those in the 19th century. It's based on the modes of ancient music. To Polson, painting should arouse emotion that is consistent with the subject of the painting. Joyous paintings should be uplifting, and severe ones should be grave. The idea was to utilize the basic requirements of painting – line, form, color – to appeal to the viewer's emotions. It is clear that Polson applied this to his own work by the use of discordant color for his tragic things and enticing ones for lyrical ones. The implications of this theory are far-reaching, well past the work he created, and formed the idea that fundamental principles of painting cannot arouse emotion. The theory was fundamental to the evolution of abstract art and the works of Picasso. It was during the late 1640s that some of his best paintings were created – Elisa and Rebecca, The Holy Family on the Steps, and The Judgment of Solomon. They represent some of the greatest masterpieces of classical art in history, utilizing visual space and surface design. It was during this same period that Polson began to paint a series of landscapes that would later become the cornerstone of classical landscape. In 1651, he stopped painting landscapes after creating two that depicted violent storms. His painting of Et Arcadia Ego centered on figures inspecting a tomb in the countryside. The title in Latin loosely translates, I exist even in Arcadia. Of a more Baroque style, similar to his early work, it is one of his most powerful works. Polson would resume painting landscapes in 1657, without the well-ordered classical format of his earlier works, instead focusing on the natural world and its cycles. Best known from this period is the series on the Four Seasons. These works combine the human life with the natural world and maintains the God is in Everything theme found in some of his later landscapes. By the time of Polson's death in 1665, he was revered by French painters for reviving traditions and the art of the Renaissance. Neoclassic painters like David would find his theories and works crucially important. The French Academy would venerate his work in the 17th century, and that would lead to a disagreement between Polsonists and Ruminists, one holding the importance of line over color and the other the reverse. Artists from future generations would find much to admire. For Eugene Delacroix, it would be his poetic mythologies, Camille Corot, his classical landscape, George Seurat, and Paul Cezanne as a master of the abstract. Pablo Pagasso would try to match his purity and grandeur. A Romantic who became a classic is the best way to describe the diversity of those who admire his work and the timelessness of his art. When he died in November of 1665, his will stated he wanted no fuss. Rome would be deeply saddened, and all of his friends joined the procession to his final resting place at the Church of San Lorenzo in Lucina. His works can be seen today at the Louvre, where they can be found in a gallery dedicated just for him. Polson said that colors in the paintings are like the illusions that convince the eyes, similar to the beauty of the verses in poetry. His works reflect that, from the beginning to the very last pictures he painted.