The Grea Painters Paul Ruben and Nicolas Poussin - Essay Example

Ruben is also ingenious in the way he distorts the images of the goddesses to create movement and add theatrics to the painting. One of Nicolas Poussin’s most recognized paintings is “The Shepherds of Arcadia.” According to Sayre, the painting depicts three shepherds and a woman reading the inscriptions on a tomb (737). Poussin uses a unique sense of style to lure the viewer into what is happening in the painting. For example, one of the shepherds appears to be painting his own shadow while he is, in fact, touching the inscription on the tomb.

The figures in the painting also appear to be in a melancholic mood and seem to be meditating on the meaning of life, as written on the inscription which according to Sayre means “I too once dwelled in Arcadia” (737). Poussin creates a sense of balance in the painting by depicting the figures in such a way that symmetry is attained in the painting.Personally, I find Ruben’s painting to be better than Poussin’s in that Ruben puts in a lot of work in order to make the viewer understand the context of the painting.

For example, the magnificent house in the background, the expensive regalia is worn by the women, and the vast ship all educates the viewer on the extravagance of the early French society. In contrast, it is not so easy for a viewer to understand the context of Poussin’s painting just by looking at it.