Rinaldo and Armida 1625

Nicolas Poussin's "Rinaldo and Armida," painted in 1625, depicts a scene from the epic poem "Jerusalem Delivered" by Torquato Tasso. The painting shows the sorceress Armida, kneeling over the sleeping knight Rinaldo, who is overcome by her magic. Cupid, with his arrows, symbolizes love's power and the inevitable temptation of the hero. The scene is set in a lush landscape with a prominent tree, highlighting the classical approach to composition and narrative favored by Poussin, a leading figure in the French Baroque style.