Works

Spring or The Earthly Paradise – painted for the 2d Duke of Richelieu (1660-1664)

The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2nd floor, room 16

Oil on canvas, 117 x 160 cm

According to Félibien, this canvas was painted for the Duke of Richelieu (nephew of the cardinal) between 1660 and 1664. Also called Le Paradis terrestre (The Earthly Paradise) or Adam et Ève dans le Paradis terrestre (Adam and Eve in the Earthly Paradise), it is part of les Quatre Saisons, a religious and artistic account by Poussin which aims to meditate on the major stages of human life. The theme here is the fertility of nature; we see Eve showing the apple to Adam.

Nicolas Poussin - The Four Seasons - Spring or The Earthly Paradise

Below are details of the painting :

The Four Seasons - Spring or The Earthly Paradise - Detail of the landscape  The Four Seasons – Spring or The Earthly Paradise – Detail 2  The Four Seasons – Spring or The Earthly Paradise – Detail 3  The Four Seasons – Spring or The Earthly Paradise – Detail 4

Spring or The Earthly Paradise is part of The Four Seasons series:

Nicolas Poussin - The Four Seasons - Spring  Nicolas Poussin - The Four Seasons - Summer  Nicolas Poussin - The Four Seasons - Automn  Nicolas Poussin - The Four Seasons - Winter

Below is a beautiful engraving by Gerard Audran providing an interpretation of the work, emphasising the luxuriance of nature and adding a certain number of details to the scene:

The Four Seasons: The Spring (1660-1664) Louvre Museum - Engraving by Audran

Details of the engraving by Audran:

The Four Seasons: The Spring - engraving by Audran: Adam and Eve

The Four Seasons: The Spring - engraving by Audran: detail

The Four Seasons: The Spring - engraving by Audran: detail 5

The Four Seasons: The Spring - engraving by Audran: detail 3

The Four Seasons: The Spring - engraving by Audran: detail 4

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