The Death of Germanicus, 1627
Nicolas Poussinexpand_more
Oil on canvasexpand_more
The William Hood Dunwoody Fundexpand_more 58.28
On View in Gallery 313expand_more
The young Roman general Germanicus has just been poisoned by his jealous adoptive father, the emperor Tiberius. On his deathbed, Germanicus asks his friends to avenge his murder and his wife to endure her sorrow bravely. A key work in Western painting, this tragic picture presents a moral lesson in stoic heroism, notably in the restraint and dignity of the mourning soldiers.
This work—Poussin’s first major history painting—became the model for countless deathbed scenes for the next two centuries. Many powerful human themes figure here: death, suffering, injustice, grief, loyalty, revenge. Poussin drew on Roman antiquity for the form as well as the subject. The composition, with figures crowded together near the front, is based on Roman sarcophagus reliefs. Poussin spent most of his life in Rome, where he developed a classical style that strongly influenced both French and Italian art.
This painting was commissioned by Cardinal Francesco Barberini. As prominent patrons of the arts, the wealthy Barberini family helped shape the artistic landscape of the time. The Death of Germanicus remained with descendants of the Barberini family until 1958, when Mia purchased it.
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Details
- Title
- The Death of Germanicus
- Artist Life
- 1594–1665
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 58.28
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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