Letters and Documents

Nicolas Poussin’s (1594-1665) work represents one of the pinnacles of world art; like his contemporaries, the philosopher Descartes and the dramatist Corneille, he left his mark on the whole era affected by the Thirty Years’ War. He spent most of his life in Rome surrounded by ancient culture, where he painted pictures of Arcadian clarity; harmonious and deeply humane. His work became a basis for art theories; he beat paths that were followed by artists of later generations. Without Poussin, the development of French art up to Cézanne, Matisse, Braque, Léger and even Picasso would be unthinkable. He was also a great theoretician. This edition is a large extract from the book Lettres et propos sur l’art (Letters and Statements Concerning Art).