The difference and similarities between Peter Paul Rubens and Nicolas Poussin

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The Differences and Similarities between Peter Paul Rubens and Nicolas Poussin
Introduction
Peter Paul Rubens was a Flemish artist and he was born in 1577. Rubens is regarded as the most authoritative and dominant artist of Flemish Baroque tradition. On the other side, Nicolas Poussin was born in 1594 and he was considered as the most dominant and superior painter of traditional French Baroque. This paper will compare and contrast the life of the two artists, examine their main works and also evaluate their styles and techniques.
Rubens was born to Jan Ruben and Maria Pypelincks and he was given his name in honor of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. While at Antwerp, Rubens obtained classical education and he also learned Latin and literature. He started his artistic apprenticeship in 1591 when he was only fourteen years old. He later obtained more training from the Adam Van Noort and Otto Van Veen who were the leading painters during his time (Scribner, p.2). Most of Ruben’s training involved copying other people’s paintings. He moved to Rome, Italy in 1601 he gained knowledge about the new Baroque style. While in Italy, Rubens visited Span for formal duties and upon returning from Spain he went back to Antwerp where he continued his beloved profession.
On the other side, Nicolas Poussin was born 1594 in France to Jean Poussin and Marie Delaisement. Unlike Rubens who traveled to different places, Poussin spent almost all his working life in Rome when he specialized in history paintings (Verdi, p.1). Poussin depicted scenes from the bible and the ancient history. After a long career developing his skills, Poussin underwent a fundamental change in 1630 when he rejected the seductive attractions of the Venetian paintings and embraced a more severe and brilliant style which stressed on clearly presented and modeled forms and pre colors. Additionally, his paintings also became more carefully and accurately ordered with figure usually displayed in a frieze-like manner which was parallel to the picture plane. During his final years, Poussin painted works which depicted the holy family and this was preferably suited to the calmness and equanimity of his art at that particular time.
The impressive and spectacular styles that are found within Ruben’s and Poussin’s works of art demonstrate two totally different and varying styles or art. The two artists excelled in mastery and in the capacity of presenting nature in a compelling and in an effective manner, particularly the human body. It is also important to note that the artists achieved this using their own particular and distinct ways. It is evident that Rubens and Poussin are different from each other and we can also examine the two artists as presenting different artistic poles; where Rubens resents artistic passion through his artwork which gives different sets of varying emotions and Poussin demonstrates artistic reason though his works that demonstrate sensible features of classicism and naturalism which a...