Portret van schilder Nicolas Poussin 1822

Jean Pierre Sudre created this print of Nicolas Poussin, sometime in the 19th century. It’s a stipple engraving, a technique that uses dots to create an image, giving it a soft, almost photographic quality. The image depicts Poussin, a celebrated 17th-century French painter, known for his classical style. Sudre, born after the French Revolution, would have been raised on Neoclassical ideals. The portrait is more than just a likeness; it’s a constructed identity. Poussin's gaze is direct and contemplative, his draped clothing reminiscent of ancient philosophers, fitting neatly within the context of a revival of classical antiquity during this era. Sudre is not just showing us Poussin’s face; he’s invoking a sense of intellectual and artistic authority. There’s a dialogue happening here across centuries, about what it means to be an artist, to be remembered, and how identity is carefully crafted and represented.