Nymphs and a Satyr (Amor Vincit Omnia)

c. 1625–27

Nicolas Poussin

(French, 1594–1665)

Culture

France, 17th century

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

Framed: 121 x 152 x 7 cm (47 5/8 x 59 13/16 x 2 3/4 in.); Unframed: 97 x 127.5 cm (38 3/16 x 50 3/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of J. H. Wade 1926.26

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Location

212 Baroque Painting and Sculpture

Did You Know?

After arriving in Rome and experiencing financial instability, Nicolas Poussin turned to painting more popular, lucrative mythological scenes, such as those depicting nymphs and satyrs.

Description

Like his colleague Claude Lorrain, Poussin depicted historical and mythological subjects in landscapes inspired by the countryside around Rome. His themes were often complex, and frequently incorporated witty allusions to classical texts. Here, a playful cupid tugs Pan, the goatlegged Greek god of the woods, toward Venus, the goddess of love. The painting cleverly illustrates the Latin phrase amor vincit omnia, or “love conquers all” (in Greek, pan means “all”). The woodland setting represents the idyllic paradise of Pan’s home.