Diogenes Throwing away His Bowl (after Nicolas Poussin)

Lambert employs a light Rococo palette, softened blues and greens, to render a tranquil riverside landscape. Subtle chiaroscuro models the figure and foliage, creating depth that draws the eye toward the central act. The brushwork balances delicate detail in the foliage with broader, more fluid strokes in the sky.

Created during the mid‑eighteenth‑century Rococo period, the work reflects Lambert’s engagement with European academic traditions. Though primarily known for portraiture and his service as a First World War official war artist, Lambert produced this copy as part of his broader study of classical themes. It entered the State Library of Victoria’s holdings in the early twentieth century.

The painting illustrates the eighteenth‑century fascination with antiquity and moral exempla, aligning with Enlightenment interests in virtue and simplicity. By echoing Poussin’s composition, Lambert connects the French classical tradition with the decorative sensibilities of the Rococo era.