|
POUSSIN, NICOLAS. "THE ARCADIAN SHEPHERDS."
Term Paper ID:22736
|
|
|
Essay Subject:
Analyzes baroque painting by 17th Cent. French artist. Theme, style, color, light, iconography.... More...
|
6 Pages / 1350 Words
4 sources, 19 Citations,
TURABIAN Format
$24.00
Return to List of Papers
|
Paper Abstract:
Analyzes baroque painting by 17th Cent. French artist. Theme, style, color, light, iconography.
Paper Introduction:
This paper will provide a visual analysis of The Arcadian Shepherds, a painting by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665). The subject of this study is the first version of the work, painted by Poussin in the late 1620s. Although Poussin was primarily known for his use of the classical style, this early work shows the influences of both the baroque style and the Venetian school, which was led by Titian.
According to de la Croix and Tansey, Poussin was a key figure in establishing the classical style in French painting, a style noted for its "rational order and stability."1 Wilkin claims that Poussin's work represents the "High Art" of the classical style, in that it presents "elevated and learned themes with great formal rigor and scrupulous evocation of the antique."2 In addition, Wilkin points out that Poussin's
Text of the Paper:
The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper.
9Pierre Rosenberg, "Poussin at the Grand Palais: 'The GreatestFrench Painter of All,'" The Art Newspaper 5 (41) (October 1994), 14. She has placed her hand on the back of one of the men,who has turned toward her with a surprised look on his face. "Poussin at the Grand Palais: 'The Greatest French Painter of All.'" The Art Newspaper 5 (41) (October 1994), 14.Wilkin, Karen. True to Rosenberg'sclaim, the visual elements of composition, line and color all serve toemphasize the centrality of this theme. According to de la Croix and Tansey, Poussin was a key figure inestablishing the classical style in French painting, a style noted for its"rational order and stability."1 Wilkin claims that Poussin's workrepresents the "High Art" of the classical style, in that it presents"elevated and learned themes with great formal rigor and scrupulousevocation of the antique."2 In addition, Wilkin points out that Poussin'spaintings show the "order, discipline, accuracy, amplitude, clarity,severity, ambition, certitude," which are characteristic of the classicalstyle.3 Poussin developed his sense of classicism while living in Rome.Although he was born in France, Poussin traveled to Rome at the age ofthirty, and he lived there for the rest of his life. Perhaps Poussinmeant for the woman to be a symbol of life, in contrast to the tomb, whichsymbolizes death. Regarding Poussin's use of color in the painting, it is interestingto note that the shades are darker in the area of the tomb and the man onthe ground, but that they become increasingly lighter as the eye moves lefttoward the woman and the bright sky in the far background. This reflectsthe natural curiosity that people have about death. 14Carrier, 169. The fact that the woman's breast is exposed emphasizesher role as a giver of life. 4De la Croix and Tansey, 755-756. The first version, however, was probably painted inthe late 162 s, soon after Poussin's arrival in Rome. One predominant feature of the baroque style is its sense ofdynamism, or movement. Gardner's Art Through the Ages. Thus, inPoussin's paintings, "everything is subordinate to the idea: composition,lines, colour."13 In the case of The Arcadian Shepherds, the central ideaof the painting seems to be contained in the words on the tomb. 6De la Croix and Tansey, 756. 2Karen Wilkin, "The 'High Art' of Nicolas Poussin," The New Criterion13 (January 1995), 756. 1 David Carrier, Poussin's Paintings: A Study in Art-HistoricalMethodology (University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press,1993), 17 . 19De la Croix and Tansey, 756. 8th ed. In the words of de la Croix and Tansey, theearlier version of The Arcadian Shepherds is "strikingly Titianesque, withall the warm, rich tonality of the Venetian master and the figure typesfamiliar in Titian's idyllic 'bacchanals.'"6 Wilkin agrees that Poussin'sThe Arcadian Shepherds, as well as most of his works of the late 162 s,"owe an enormous debt to the Venetians."7 Regarding the paintings of thisperiod, Wilkin notes: "The golden light, the blurred landscapes andluminous skies, the full-fleshed, softly modeled gods and mortals, thewarm, radiant color all testify to how much the young French painterlearned from Titian and his circle."8 In order to completely analyze the visual elements of Poussin'spainting, it is important to also consider the iconography of the work. There were actually two versions of The Arcadian Shepherds painted byPoussin. In thisregard, the noted art historian Erwin Panofsky once indicated that TheArcadian Shepherds "illustrates a text."14 The words on the tomb areclearly meant to be the visual center of the painting. According tode la Croix and Tansey, "she may be the spirit of death, reminding thesemortals, as does the inscription, that death is found even in Arcadia,where naught but perfect happiness is supposed to reign."17 The secondversion of The Arcadian Shepherds also contrasts the first in that it showsthe elements of classicism that Poussin adopted in the later part of hiscareer. 15Ibid., 29 16Ibid. Tansey, Gardner's Art Through theAges, 8th ed. 11Wilkin, 2 . 7Wilkin, 2 . In some places, the variation in color is verysubtle. 12Ibid., 21. BibliographyCarrier, David. 8Ibid. The subject of this study isthe first version of the work, painted by Poussin in the late 162 s.Although Poussin was primarily known for his use of the classical style,this early work shows the influences of both the baroque style and theVenetian school, which was led by Titian. In addition to showing baroque influences, The Arcadian Shepherdsshows the influence of Titian and the Venetian school of painting.According to Wilkin, "it is generally agreed that the young Poussin, on hisway to Rome for the first time, stopped a while in Venice, and if we relyon the evidence of his paintings, it is clear that Venetian painting,particularly Titian, had as much impact on him as the sources he continuedto study in his adopted city."5 The elements of the Venetian style areclearly present in Poussin's The Arcadian Shepherds. In addition, he seems to be setapart from the rest of the figures. Tansey. Both consist of the same visual theme: arcadian peasants, threemen and one woman, examine the words on a tomb. (San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1986), 756. 17De la Croix and Tansey. Even in his arcadian scenes, in which fantasy landscapes weredepicted, Poussin sought to make statements "about the here and now."1 Often, the iconography of his work is very intricate, with many detailsthat must be taken into consideration. Poussin's Paintings: A Study in Art-Historical Methodology. In contrast to Poussin's expansive treatment in the first version,the second version is more "tightly focused."18 The classicism of thesecond version can also be seen in "the compact, balanced grouping of thefigures, the even light, and the thoughtful, reserved, elegiac mood."19 Bycontrast, the earlier version of the painting is more dynamic and chaotic. 13Rosenberg, 14. While in Rome, he wasinfluenced by the ancient and Renaissance art that surrounded him. This symbolism isemphasized by the lightness surrounding the female figure and the darknesssurrounding the man on the ground. Imitating this style, Poussin became afounder of late seventeenth-century classicism in art. 5Wilkin, 2 . This paper will provide a visual analysis of The Arcadian Shepherds,a painting by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665). This can be seen, for example, in the fact that the trunks of thetrees almost seem to merge with the tomb because of their similarity ofcolor. An examination of the second version of The Arcadian Shepherds helpsto clarify the ways in which the first version provides a good example ofPoussin's early baroque and Venetian-influenced style. Perhaps, because of his closeness tothe tomb, he is overcome by the spirit of death. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, 1986.Rosenberg, Pierre. In the words of Pierre Rosenberg, chief curator at theLouvre, a great deal of the current research in studies of Poussin's workis in the field of "iconography, in all its variety: covering the artist'sliterary and visual sources."9 Symbolism was important to Poussin becausehe was interested in making philosophical statements with the images in hispaintings. The dynamism of the painting can also be seen in the way that the diagonalline of these three figures is contrasted by the opposing direction of thetree branch behind them. The first way is "I, too, was born, or lived, inArcady," and the second way is "Even in Arcady there I am" (death).15Panofsky further stated that "there are two versions by Poussin of TheArcadian Shepherds, and each can be matched to one reading of the text."16In this regard, this earlier version of the painting relates to the themeof life, whereas the later version relates to death. This figure isleaning somewhat toward the left, in the opposite direction of the otherthree figures. This is created in The Arcadian Shepherds by theway that three of the figures seem to be leaning toward the right. 756. This contrast ranges from the bright white ofthe woman's gown to the extremely dark cloth covering the legs of thefigure on the ground. She stands over the shepherds as they study thewords on the tomb. In the first version,the woman in the painting glows with youthful beauty and exposes her breastas a symbol of life. A contrast is also created by the single figurethat sits on the ground with his back to the viewer. In the second version, the woman is more mature andis completely dressed. Thus, the lines of the figures andtree point toward the words, which are located at the center right of thepicture. 18Carrier, 34. 3Ibid. Because of this, the painting shows the influence ofthe baroque style that Poussin followed during the early part of hiscareer. Inessence, iconography refers to the symbolic meanings of the visual elementswithin a painting. By contrast, the man on the ground seems tobe sad and weary, and unable to move. Although Poussin'sname is associated with the classical movement in French painting, thisearly version of The Arcadian Shepherds shows that Poussin did not turncompletely to classicism until after the age of thirty, when he had becomeestablished in Rome. The artists of the baroque style were also known for theirhighly developed sense of perspective. "The 'High Art' of Nicolas Poussin." The New Criterion 13 (January 1995), 18-23.----------------------- 9 Theinfluence of the baroque style can also be seen in Poussin's use ofcontrasting shades of color. This can be seen in The Arcardian Shepherds in Poussin's treatmentof clouds, trees and flesh. For example, Titianwas known for using subtle shades of color to create a soft and sensualeffect. In both paintings, thewords are "Et in Arcadia ego," which can be translated as either "I, too,in Arcadia" or "Even in Arcadia, I [am present]."4 The second version,painted in 1655, clearly shows the classical style that Poussin adoptedwhile living in Rome. This perspective is supported by Erwin Panofsky, who claimed thatthere are two ways of interpreting the text ("Et in Arcadia ego") in TheArcadian Shepherds. Every detail, every gesture, every exchange of glances counts."12 Rosenberg claims that all of Poussin's paintings have a central idea, ortheme, which is expressed by the iconography of the work. Therefore, theartist had not yet developed the sense of classicism that he would laterbecome famous for. As a result, "we must read Poussin's dense, complex imagessequentially, incident by incident, if we are to be fully engaged."11 AsWilkin notes: "Nothing is unimportant. Endnotes 1Horst De la Croix and Richard G. The other two men seem to be curiousand excited about their discovery of the words on the tomb. Thispositioning of the figures helps lead the eye toward the words on the tomb. This sense of perspective can beseen in The Arcadian Shepherds in the way Poussin painted the details ofthe different levels: foreground, middle ground and background. Inaddition, he was influenced by the work of Raphael, a painter who had livedin the city a century before. Raphael was known for using balancedproportions in his paintings. University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1993.De la Croix, Horst, and Richard G. Nothing is included by chance orcaprice.
If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again:
or
Click here to request an essay written just for you.
|
|
|
