Narcissus with Two Nymphs and Echo

Narcissus with Two Nymphs and Echo from 1650 at Dresden depicts the Ovidian myth of fatal self-love. Poussin invested classical myths with philosophical meaning, treating Narcissus as a meditation on illusion and the nature of perception. Poussin's mythological subjects drew on deep reading of ancient texts — Ovid, Virgil, and Philostratus — and rigorous study of antique sculpture and Titian's poesie. His approach transformed mythology from decoration into moral and philosophical discourse, s...

The composition arranges the figures around the reflective pool that is both setting and symbol. Poussin's classical handling and measured palette create a scene of philosophical contemplation.