Cephalus and Aurora 1630

Nicolas Poussin made this painting of Cephalus and Aurora, sometime in the 17th century, using oil paints. The image shows a story from classical mythology, yet it was created at a time when the institutions of both art and politics were closely controlled by the French monarchy. The Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, for example, dictated artistic taste while serving as an arm of the state. Poussin himself, though he spent much of his career in Rome, was called back to France to serve as First Painter to Louis XIII. So how does this painting participate in the politics of imagery at the time? Well, on the one hand, its classical subject matter was considered elevated and ennobling; on the other, its themes of love and desire could hint at a critique of the austere and controlling tendencies of the church or state. To understand this painting better, scholars might consult the writings of Ovid, who told the story of Cephalus and Aurora, as well as archival records related to the French court and the Royal Academy.