{"product_id":"cephalus-and-aurora-nicolas-poussin","title":"Cephalus and Aurora - Nicolas Poussin","description":"\u003cp\u003eA dramatic mythological scene by Nicolas Poussin, depicting the goddess Aurora abducting the hunter Cephalus in a display of Baroque light and shadow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNicolas Poussin, a central figure of the French Baroque, painted Cephalus and Aurora around 1630. The work draws from Ovid's Metamorphoses, depicting the moment Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, abducts the mortal hunter Cephalus. Poussin organises the composition with a clear division between the celestial realm of the goddess and the earthly reality of the hunter. Aurora is shown in motion, her form illuminated against the encroaching darkness, while Cephalus remains grounded, his posture reflecting his reluctance and confusion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe painting demonstrates Poussin's interest in classical narrative and the calculated arrangement of figures. The colour palette relies on deep shadows and high-contrast lighting, a technique that directs the viewer's eye across the scene. The presence of putti and the chariot of the sun provides a sense of mythological scale, yet the focus remains on the human interaction between the two primary figures. Poussin employs a measured approach to the anatomy and drapery, reflecting his study of antique sculpture and the works of Titian. The background, though obscured by shadow, suggests the transition from night to day, a thematic element that mirrors the narrative of the dawn goddess.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work is held in the collection of the National Gallery in London. It represents the artist's early Roman period, during which he refined his ability to combine classical themes with a dramatic, theatrical sensibility. The figures are arranged in a frieze-like manner, a hallmark of Poussin's style that prioritises clarity and intellectual order over purely decorative effects. The painting invites close inspection of the interplay between light and shadow, as well as the emotional tension conveyed through the gestures of the protagonists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/de\/products\/aurora-artemisia-gentileschi\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eAurora by Artemisia Gentileschi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/de\/products\/the-abduction-of-ganymede-rembrandt-van-rijn\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Abduction of Ganymede by Rembrandt van Rijn\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Nicolas Poussin","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59132186362191,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59132198093135,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59132198125903,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59132198158671,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59132198191439,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59132198224207,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59132198256975,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59132198289743,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59132198322511,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59132198355279,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59132198388047,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59132198420815,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59132198453583,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59132198486351,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59132198519119,"sku":null,"price":117.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59132198551887,"sku":null,"price":117.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59132198584655,"sku":null,"price":117.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59132198617423,"sku":null,"price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59132198650191,"sku":null,"price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59132198682959,"sku":null,"price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Cephalus-and-Aurora_Poster_CompositorV1_1792119050637.jpg?v=1792143696","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/de\/products\/cephalus-and-aurora-nicolas-poussin","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}