Holy Family with St Elizabeth and St John the Baptist
Nicolas Poussin·1655
Historical Context
Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth and Saint John from 1655 at the Hermitage is a late sacred composition showing Poussin's final meditation on familial devotion. His late works achieve monumental serenity. 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 treatment were adopted as the foundational principles of French academic...
Technical Analysis
The figures are arranged with geometric precision. Poussin's late palette of harmonious tones creates profound devotional stillness.
