Bellori, Félibien, Passeri, Sandrart – Macula, 1994 Bellori, Félibien, Passeri, Sandrart: four 20th century authors, four lives, four stories which intertwine and complement one another, told by four witnesses who knew the painter in Rome, at four different times in his life.
Alain Mérot is a professor of the history of modern art at the University of Paris Sorbonne, and a world-famous expert of seventeenth century paintings. His book on Poussin, published in 1990, is a reference. His first words: “The first painting by Poussin I remember, Les Bergers d’Arcadie (The Arcadian Shepherds), has been reproduced so … Continue reading Alain MÉROT (1951)
Pierre Rosenberg is a curator, historian of French art, and since 1995, an academic. Louvre President-Director from 1994 to 2001, specialising in the drawings and paintings of the French and Italian seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, he is recognised as a leading expert on Nicolas Poussin. Further reading: • Biography of Pierre Rosenberg on the website … Continue reading Pierre ROSENBERG (1936)
Specialist in French seventeenth century paintings and from 1977 to 1998, he was the chair of the history of artistic creation in France at the Collège de France. Jacques Thuillier published numerous books (his biography has 450 works!), one of which a reference biography of Nicolas Poussin from 1969. Further reading: • Biography and main … Continue reading Jacques THUILLIER (1928-2011)
Considered one of the most eminent historians of British art, knighted in 1956, Professor Blunt, also known for having been a double agent for the Soviet Union during the Cold War, is a leading expert on Poussin, and he has devoted many books to him. He is the Executive Commissioner of the Louvre Museum and … Continue reading Anthony Frederick BLUNT (1907-1983)
André Félibien met Claude Lorrain, Pierre de Cortone and most importantly Nicolas Poussin during his time in Rome between 1647 and 1649. His Interviews on the lives and works of the great old masters (1666-1688), depict Poussin as a perfect painter and constitute one of the first chronological works about the French artist.
Painter, engraver and considered the first art historian of German nationality, he lived in Rome between 1628 and 1635 and personally knew Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain, and they often drew nature together in the Roman countryside. His testimony is important because other biographers who knew the artist only met him much later, when he … Continue reading Joachim von SANDRART (1606-1688)