Comments on: Nicolas Poussin: Et In Arcadia Ego (Arcadian Shepherds)

By: Geoffrey

Geoffrey — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:30:38 +0000

On the top of Parchment One is a symbol which will draw through the heads of the shepherds in Poussin’s painting – the heads are hills – the painting is a map – the second shepherd is pointing at the ‘R’ (followed by the ‘C’) in aRCadia – Rennes-le-Chateau – the lower ‘tail’ of the symbol is open ended and on a map goes straight to Rennes les Bains – The symbol on P2 is Poussin’s monogram (N Pousin) … which doubles to name the place of the treasure … st NAZ(aire Et Celse), the church at R les B.

Geoffrey

The Secret Church, the Treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau.

By: elijah

elijah — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:16:52 +0000

Thank you, Sir.
I agree that ownership plays an important part in the history of a painting, but I disagree — I expect you expected this — about your attitude towards critics. After all, they are doing professionally what every one of us trying to do, which is understand and interpret a work of art. Why not learn from them? It occurred to me, however, that perhaps a phrasing in the line of “One of the reasons” would be more accurate.

Let me know how that Proust reading going… I’m about to finish the second book, but seem to have gotten stuck.

Regards,
Elijah

By: Sir Gauvain

Sir Gauvain — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 06:23:14 +0000

Hi there!

this is fun! i put your feed in my sidebar and will visit every time you write up something i am interested in… too bad the feed does not allow me to feature thumbnails of your reproductions…

anyway, i just thought i’d quibble (for the sake of making conversation, really):

“The main reason for this renown, according to critics…”

I believe the critics should not be taken too seriously. The painting owes its fame to the famous people who owned it and wrote it up. I don’t believe a word of the “allegory of painting” interpretation — just as I do not believe it represents (under an anagram) the tomb of Jesus. It’s hardly Poussin’s best, and certainly a strong argument could be made that Poussin is himself much overrated… similarly interesting interpretations could be made of my coffee cup (it’s a pretty good cup, as robin’s egg china goes, but certainly not the world’s most important Chinese export ever), given intelligent company and a few drinks…

but quibbles aside, what a great project you’ve got here!
keep it up!

By: elijah

elijah — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:56:36 +0000

Hi Anne, thanks the visit and for the Neil Welliver reference, I wasn’t familiar with this painter until now! :)

By: Anne Bevan

Anne Bevan — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:57:04 +0000

Hello Elijah,
I am really enjoying your website – I love the story of how you got started (the Stendahl Syndrome). Thank you for the description. I didn’t know there was a name for it.
My first such experience happened when I encountered a huge Neil Welliver landscape. I didn’t actually faint, but I was certainly “swept away”. Since then, I now also paint huge landscapes and you may be interested that I have had something similar happen – the heart pounding rush – standing in front of a blank canvas as I begin to “see” the painting.

Thank you for sharing your wonderful website,
Best Wishes,
Anne Bevan

wncpainter@aol.com
Old Fort, North Carolina