Orpheus and Eurydice
Nicolas Poussin
About this artwork
Nicolas Poussin's *Orpheus and Eurydice is a captivating oil on canvas from his masterful oeuvre, depicting the poignant myth from Ovid's *Metamorphoses*. The legendary musician Orpheus, lyre in hand, ventures into the underworld to reclaim his beloved Eurydice, only to lose her forever by glancing back—a timeless tale of love, loss, and the human against fate. Rendered in lush forest surroundings, the painting evokes the emotional depth of this classical narrative, drawing visitors into a world where music and nature intertwine with tragedy. As a cornerstone of French Classicism, Poussin (1594–1665) championed balanced compositions, precise anatomy, and moral clarity inspired by antiquity and Raphael. His oil technique allows for luminous landscapes and subtle atmospheric effects, making the expansive 47½ × 70¾-inch canvas a visual symphony of light filtering through trees and expressive figures. This work exemplifies his history painting ideal, blending intellectual rigor with emotional resonance. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Paintings department as part of the prestigious H. O. Havemeyer Collection (bequeathed in 1929), it invites reflection on art's power to immortalize myth. A must-see for those exploring Baroque-era storytelling!