After the Bible and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the most popular literary source for paintings before 1900, yet hardly anyone knows this epic today. The introduction to a new series.
Jerusalem
At his third attempt, the young Poussin made it to Rome, where he found an unusual patron who was an obsessive collector and friend of Galileo.
Review of paintings and related articles published here in the second half of 2018, starring Tintoretto, Gérôme. Bonnard, Schiele, and Poussin.
Tasso’s narrative is as complex and interwoven as these six leading characters, from the pious Godfrey to the scheming sorceress Armida.
Twenty cantos summarised with the very best of their paintings by Delacroix, Teniers the Younger, Domenico Tintoretto, Poussin, Tiepolo, and others.
The last challenge to the delivery of Jerusalem is the attack of the massed army of the Egyptians. It brings Armida’s reconciliation with Rinaldo, and more fine paintings.
With an army from Egypt on its way, the crusaders have no time to lose. Rinaldo removes the spells preventing them from cutting timber, and they are soon assaulting the city of Jerusalem.
Rinaldo recovers his senses, and feels ashamed. He rushes off to rejoin the crusaders, but Armida pleads with him to stay. When he refuses, she seeks vengeance.
The rescue of Rinaldo gets under way. Meanwhile he is making love with Armida in the perpetual spring of her garden. Superb paintings from Poussin, Tiepolo, Kauffman, Stillman, and others.
Godfrey’s siege is stalled due to a bewitched wood, then the temperatures rise and streams dry up. The pressure is on him, so they try to find the missing Rinaldo. Superb paintings from Poussin and others.
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