Poussin's scenes of bacchanalian revelry, tripping maenads and skipping nymphs are often described as 'dancelike' and 'choreographed'. The artist's dancing pictures helped him develop a new approach to painting that would become the model for the French classical tradition. Shedding the sensuous, painterly manner of his early career, Poussin carved out the crisp, relief-like approach that characterized his mature work and set the precedent for three centuries of French art, from Le Brun and David to Cezanne and Picasso. He carried lessons learned from dance into every corner of his production.

This book brings together a key group of paintings and drawings by Poussin, exploring the theme of dance and dancers in his production for the first time. Focusing on the dancing pictures created in Rome in the 1620s and 1630s, essays connect Poussin's interest in dance, his study of antiquities, and his formulation of a new classical style. Richly illustrated and engagingly written, this publication uses the prism of dance to cast Poussin in a new, fresh light.

Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

Exhibition Schedule:

J. Paul Getty Museum
June 8 - August 29, 2021

National Gallery, London
October 9, 2021 - January 2, 2022

About the Author
Emily A. Beeny is associate curator of drawings at the J. Paul Getty Museum.
Francesca Whitlum-Cooper is Myojin-Nadar associate curator of paintings, 1600-1800, at the National Gallery, London.


Book Information
ISBN 9781857096729
Author Emily A. Beeny
Format Paperback
Page Count 144
Imprint National Gallery Company Ltd
Publisher National Gallery Company Ltd