Artwork
Victory of Joshua over the Amalekites
Victory of Joshua over the Amalekites is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Nicolas Poussin. It dates from 1623 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Around 1625, Nicolas Poussin painted an oil canvas depicting the biblical episode of Joshua’s triumph over the Amalekites. The work, now housed in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, forms one half of a paired composition originally intended to complement another of his battle scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates the chaotic clash between Joshua’s forces and the Amalekites, featuring mounted warriors, foot soldiers, and archers. Central figures include a bow‑armed combatant in a white loincloth and a fallen rider draped in a red cape, emphasizing the drama of victory and defeat within the biblical narrative.
Technique & Style
Poussin employs a classical arrangement of figures set against a luminous sky, with a landscape of trees and hills receding into the distance. The palette contrasts bright garments with muted earth tones, while the varied poses and weaponry convey movement and tension typical of his early Roman period.
History & Provenance
Financial hardship after the 1625 death of patron Giovan Battista Marino and the departure of Cardinal Francesco Barberini forced Poussin to sell both works.
Created during Poussin’s Roman years, the painting was paired with The Battle between the Israelites and the Amorites. Financial hardship after the 1625 death of patron Giovan Battista Marino and the departure of Cardinal Francesco Barberini forced Poussin to sell both works. Catherine II of Russia later acquired them, placing them in the residence of Poussin’s cousin Gaspar Dughet on via Paolina in Rome; the pair remained together until their separation in 1927.
Context
The work reflects the early 17th‑century French interest in biblical and classical subjects, rendered through a Roman Baroque lens. Poussin’s emphasis on orderly composition amid violent action aligns with contemporary expectations for moralizing history paintings.
Legacy
Although less frequently reproduced than his later landscapes, this canvas demonstrates Poussin’s skill in orchestrating complex narrative scenes. Its presence in the Hermitage contributes to the broader appreciation of his formative period and the cross‑cultural exchange of French art in Russian collections.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas Poussin (UK: , US: , French: ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was a leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome.
