 |
| Nicolas Poussin Self-portrait c. 1630 drawing British Museum |
Poussin would have been in his middle thirties when he made the scowling drawing of himself above. The calligraphic text in Italian was added by an early owner of the portrait and states that Poussin made it with the aid of a mirror while recovering from a serious attack of illness (there is some evidence that this was due to syphilis). One of Poussin's first Roman patrons was the art-loving Cardinal Massimi, to whom the artist gave drawing lessons. This crayon portrait was originally a gift from Poussin to Cardinal Massimi.
Poussin had with difficulty established himself in Rome only a few years before. Success and security were still under construction. By mid-century he would be widely famous and widely imitated. Yet he remained a singular artist with few public commissions, preferring to work on mid-sized easel-paintings for a few loyal private patrons.
Below, images of the Poussin collection now in London at the National Gallery.
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Cephalus & Aurora c. 1630 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin The Nurture of Bacchus c. 1628 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Nymph with Satyrs 1627 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Bacchanalian Revel before a Term 1632-33 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Triumph of Pan 1636 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Adoration of the Golden Calf 1633-34 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Adoration of the Shepherds 1633-34 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Landscape with a man scooping water from a stream c. 1637 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Landscape with Travellers Resting c. 1638-39 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Landscape with a man washing his feet at a fountain 1648 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin Landscape with a Man Killed by a Snake 1648 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin The Finding of Moses 1651 National Gallery, London |
 |
| Nicolas Poussin The Annunciation 1657 National Gallery, London |
Curators at the National Gallery suggest that the final picture, Poussin's late Annunciation, was painted to hang above the tomb of his patron Cassiano dal Pozzo (1588-1657) in the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, Rome. Cassiano dal Pozzo's once-famous Paper Museum can be sampled in an earlier post here.