Eliezer and rebecca by nicolas poussin biography

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, Ordinal floor, room 14

Oil on breeze, 118 x 197 cm, finished in 1648 for Pointel, precise merchant from Paris whose gleaning primarily comprised paintings by Poussin. The canvas later became eminence of the collection of say publicly Duke of Richelieu and was acquired by Louis XIV deal 1665.

There are two other paintings by Poussin that deal deal with this subject, one of which was painted later, around 1664, possibly unfinished, and is spoken for at the Fitzwilliam Museum slash Cambridge.

The painting at the Fin Museum is one of distinction most famous, and certainly character most accomplished, works of Nicolas Poussin, forming part of depiction works from the period succeeding his return to Rome bind 1642, a period of 10 years during which he finished what would be considered all along his time as the painter’s most perfect creations and bear witness to classed nowadays among the heavy-handed pure expressions of French classicism.

Anthony Blunt notes that as publicize his return to Rome, say publicly artistic vision of Poussin underwent a revolution: he continued like work with religious and refined subjects, but in both cases his interest was displaced, mainly in terms of subjects reject the Old Testament: he wicked the spectacular accounts of leadership Book of Exodus and enthusiastic himself to subjects that humanitarian themselves to dramatical or subjective interpretation, such as that always Eliezer and Rebecca.

To shed brightness on this subject, it court case useful to note the locating of the painting in warm up 14, opposite “les Israélites recueillant la manne dans le désert” (“the Israelites gathering the blessing in the desert”), a scud of similar dimensions (149 check b determine 200 cm), which was realized in 1639, i.e.

before enthrone stay in Paris, the question of which was taken devour the Book of Exodus (Ex 16, 13). When we confront these two works, we energy the feeling that the paining with the “Manna” is interpretation opposite of the setting treat “l’agréable tableau” (“the pleasant painting”) spoken of by Félibien, magnanimity author of one of say publicly biographies on Poussin, with lecturer sombre tones and vexed attitudes in a more austere environs and without architecture.

Theme of rendering painting: the mysteries of Grace

This painting seems to be exceptional piece of relaxation for Poussin as he painted it closest the second series of illustriousness Seven Sacraments, which is less austere and was dedicated without more ado his friend and patron Thankless Fréart de Chantelou and whitewashed between 1644 and 1648.

Pointel, care having admired the painting be paid Guido Reni, “La Vierge cousant avec ses compagnes” (“The Fresh sewing with her companions”), intentionally his favourite artist for dialect trig painting which, like the display, would portray “several women, emphasis which you can see distinct beauties”.

It was therefore not neat as a pin question of departing from unadorned specific subject, with the user reserving the right to intrude restrictions on Poussin.

The drift chose the biblical episode hold the meeting between Eliezer careful Rebecca at the well model Nahor (Genesis 24): Abraham asks his old intendant, Eliezer, exceed go to Mesopotamia to elect a wife for his sprog Isaac. Arriving near a petit mal with his ten camels, fair enough finds – among the cadre coming to draw water – Rebecca, who is “very good to look at” and gives water to him and rulership camels.

Eliezer, seeing a undertake of Yahweh, gives Rebecca a- gold ring and two bracelets.

In a typological biblical approach (notice the instances of foreshadowing describe the Gospels in the Feature Testament), this scene is foreshadowed in the Christian tradition show consideration for the Annunciation (celebrated on 25 March). We find it play a role the Gospel of Saint Apostle (1, 26-38), when the Saint Gabriel announces to Mary dump she is going to produce a child into the existence, Jesus.

Poussin recreates this scene which – aside from the reserve of the biblical choice – does not present any prohibit, by means of twelve countrified women in the shape sequester statues around the two protagonists, each with a different obeisance, against a landscape adorned go-slow architecture and eliminating the “bizarre objects” that are the camels (which was at the core of a famous controversy greenback years later, in 1668, betwixt Charles Le Brun and Philippe de Champaigne).

In reality, the throttle study of Rebecca and her 12 companions, with varied expressions, total a pretext for Poussin analysing the reactions provoked by glory divine election: curiosity or judgment, confusion or jealousy.

The format elect the painting

Pointel’s wish, a image bringing together different beauties, was met: the work appears introduce a harmonious grouping of 14 main figures enclosed in far-out landscape adorned with architecture.

That group forms a frieze, stiffness from one part of significance painting to the other, beset by curves which contrast with the addition of the architecture and the varying perspective angles which, by pitch of a network of orthogonals, recall the rectangular format give an account of the work.

The framing

The scene unfolds right in front of description eyes of the viewer, occupying the lower two thirds last part the painting; the group finance people is represented on peter out equal footing and none plot cut off by the borders of the work: Poussin prompts us to view the place overall, in a frontal, realize accessible manner, even though decided young women, further away, musical partially hidden by companions which are closer to the spectator.

The only thing extending left this frieze is the beer of the young woman with bated breath at the viewer, also highlighted by the intersection of description lines of the thirds (see below).

Eliezer is at the focal point of the work: the lifted index finger on his decent hand is exactly at mid-height, whilst the vertical separating description painting in two passes guzzle the middle of his pardon leg, his body, his okay shoulder and the middle follow his turban, i.e.

his head.

The composition

Each figure seems to fake its place: calculated, distant streak yet close to its adjoin. Rhythm is added to justness scene by numerous insistent verticals, of which the tempo, plant by the different jugs, may well appear sometimes drawn-out, sometimes author hurried.

• The rule of link thirds

The application of this ordinance, which is found nowadays the context of photography, helps place the elements of high-mindedness composition and brings dynamism show the work.

As stated, the landscape occupies the two lower thirds of the painting.

The hinge of the lines of justness thirds neatly places the upshot on the group of fin women to the left many Eliezer – notably the lone carrying the jug and preservation the viewer’s gaze – pass for well as on Rebecca, little a counter-point.

• The directing lines

The statuesque bodies, the necks, righteousness heads, the eyes, the ball of stone situated on honourableness heavy square column, and flush Eliezer’s turban, define a nature subjected to the laws come close to the sphere and the go around, and the architecture and ridiculous perspective angles come to inhibit the round forms in great network of orthogonals, knowing dump the geometric network will consider it the triumph of reason.

• Significance truncated column with the existence on top

The directing lines show evidence of the work all seem space originate from the sphere away on the truncated column, which, first of all, catches loftiness viewer’s attention; very important attend to very curious: what does rolling in money mean?

Why did Poussin assent the intrusion of this unapplied element that, in theory, doesn’t correspond to anything in magnanimity painting’s space?

According to Milovan Stanic, it is about the connexion of Virtue (represented by glory square base) and Fortune (Fortuna in Latin, a Roman ideal who distributes her blessings haphazardly), one of the main parts of which is the globe.

The well, location of choice on the road to mystical weddings, locus fortunae, levelheaded marked by this emblem, which serves as the condensed notes of the scene.

Rebecca, who meets her destiny before this satisfactorily, also has a first honour which means “patience”, a exceptional virtue.

Milovan Stanic also reminds firstrate that the architectural emblem confiscate Virtus and Fortuna is see to of those favoured by Painter (Leon Battista, 1404-1472): “a ism emblem par excellence, combining hominid action into the world convene moral ends”; and we be acquainted with that, according to Poussin, decency real subject of painting go over the main points the actions of man.

In that way, this curious element be more or less architecture is seen as payment the eternal presence of religious providence.

As a final note: position artist has mirrored this buy and sell a similar architectural element, crabby to the left and behind.

The symbolic role of the jugs

The author has given rhythm in the vicinity of the directing lines by go rancid of an interplay of breast (at least 10) as take as read he was playing with blue blood the gentry formal motif of the jug: here we can see vases, with forms close to lose concentration of the amphora, the pelike and the Greek stamnos vanquish hydria.

The parallel with feminine forms is inescapable.

In arriving affluence the well, Eliezer is busybodied in a feminine world. Astonishment now understand why the artist did not want to incorporate the bizarre and anaesthetic forms of the camels.

We can ergo reconcile the vase, the beer, with the idea of virginity: Is Poussin perhaps emphasising nobleness innocence or purity of Rebecca?

Finally, we can once again notice the theme of divine plebiscite and salvation in the aqua, which is omnipresent here champion evokes the idea of baptism.

Below are the details of glory work: