Midas Washing at the Source of the Pactolus
Nicolas Poussin·1627
Historical Context
Midas Washing at the Source of the Pactolus from 1627 at the Metropolitan Museum depicts the king ridding himself of the golden touch. The moral of the story, that the love of gold brings misery, resonated with Poussin's Stoic philosophy. Working in Rome from 1624 onwards, Poussin served a cultivated international clientele of French and Italian patrons who prized his learned, disciplined approach to classical antiquity and religious narrative. His correspondence reveals a painter who regarde...
Technical Analysis
The figure of Midas is set within a landscape that serves the moral narrative. Poussin's classical handling and warm palette create a scene of philosophical instruction through mythological narrative.
