Saint Margaret
Nicolas Poussin·1637
Historical Context
Saint Margaret from 1637 by Nicolas Poussin at the Galleria Sabauda shows the great French painter treating a female saint subject early in his Roman career. Poussin, who spent most of his working life in Rome, became the supreme exponent of French classical painting. Poussin developed his religious subjects through intense study of ancient Roman reliefs and Italian Renaissance masters, composing figures as if arranging actors on a stage. His cool, clear palette and sculptural figure treatmen...
Technical Analysis
The figure of the saint is rendered with Poussin's characteristic clarity of form and controlled palette. The classical composition demonstrates his commitment to rational pictorial order.
