The Empire of Flora

Painting by Nicolas Poussin

Not to be confused with The Triumph of Flora (Poussin).

The Empire of Flora, 131 x 181 cm

The Empire of Flora (German: Das Reich der Flora) is an oil painting by Nicolas Poussin, dated to about 1630 or 1631, which is now in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden.[1] It is also referred to as The Realm of Flora.

## Description

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This subject is taken from the fabulous stories of the individuals metamorphosed into flowers who are here represented as engaged in those acts which preceded their change. In the centre of the group are Narcissus and Echo; the former is bending over a vase of water, sighing with love of his own image; the latter sits by, gazing on him with enamoured eyes. Beyond these is Clytie viewing with rapture the God of Day pass in his refulgent chariot through the heavens. On the left is Ajax, disappointed in his ambition, perishing on his own sword. In the opposite side is Smilax lying on the lap of Crocus; and a little retired from these is the young huntsman, Adonis, with a spear in his hand, and two dogs near him; and still more remote stands the beautiful Hyacinthus. In the midst of these, Flora is seen dancing in exulting triumph, scattering flowers over the pining lovers around her. Several cupids, linked hand in hand, are behind the goddess, and a solitary one lies close to the front with a bunch of flowers in his hand. The scene exhibits the parterre of a garden surrounded with bowers.[2]

Some have argued that picture was painted for the Cardinal Omodei.[2] Engraved by Audran.[2] However, as Emily A. Beeny asserts, it is believed that its patron was Fabrizio Valguarnera, an art merchant and jewel thief.

## References

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1. ^ "Nicolas Poussins "Das Reich der Flora" im Puschkin-Museum in Moskau". Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister. 2015.
2. ^ a b c Smith 1837, p. 135 (no. 269).

## Bibliography

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* Smith, John (1837). A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch, Flemish and French Painters: Nicholas Poussin, Claude Lorraine, and Jean Baptist Greuze. Vol. 8\. London: Smith and Son. pp. 126 (no. 243), 135 (no. 269). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
* Beeny, Emily A. and Francesca Whitlum-Cooper. (2022)  Poussin and the Dance. The Getty Museum.

## External links

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* Media related to L'Empire de Flore - Nicolas Poussin - Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Dresden at Wikimedia Commons
* "The Realm of Flora c.1627 (RCIN 911983)". Royal Collection Trust.
* https://artintheblood.typepad.com/art_history_today/2010/01/painters-thieves-and-plagues.html

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Nicolas Poussin

List of paintings

Paintings|

* The Death of Chione (1622)
* The Battle between the Israelites and the Amorites (c. 1625)
* Joshua's Battle against the Amalekites (c. 1625)
* Venus and Adonis (1626)
* The Capture of Jerusalem by Titus (1626; 1635)
* The Death of Germanicus (1627)
* Venus Weeping for Adonis (c. 1626-1627)
* Saint Cecilia (1627–1628)
* Echo and Narcissus (1627–1628)
* The Martyrdom of Saint Erasmus (1628–1629)
* The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine (1628–1629)
* Plague of Ashdod (1628–1630)
* Cephalus and Aurora (c. 1629–1630)
* The Inspiration of the Poet (1629–1630)
* Sleeping Venus with Cupid (1628–1630)
* Saint James the Great's Vision of the Virgin Mary (c. 1629–1630)
* The Massacre of the Innocents (1625–1632)
* Parnassus (c. 1631–1633)
* A Bacchanalian Revel Before a Term (1632–1633)
* The Adoration of the Golden Calf (1633–1634)
* Adoration of the Shepherds (1633–1634)
* The Crossing of the Red Sea (1633–1634)
* The Rape of the Sabine Women (1634–1635, 1637–1638)
* A Dance to the Music of Time (1634–1636)
* Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite (c. 1636)
* Camillus Handing the Falerian Schoolmaster over to his Pupils (1637)
* Et in Arcadia ego (1637–38)
* Theseus Rediscovering His Father's Sword (1638)
* The Manna (1638–1639)
* Extreme Unction (1638–1640)
* The Continence of Scipio (1640)
* Landscape with Saint John on Patmos (1640)
* The Funeral of Phocion (1648)
* Landscape with the Ashes of Phocion (1648)
* Eliezer and Rebecca (1648–1649)
* The Judgement of Solomon (1649)
* Landscape with Polyphemus (1649)
* Self-Portrait (1649)
* Landscape with Three Figures (1645–1650)
* Landscape with Orpheus and Eurydice (1650–1653)
* The Flight into Egypt (1657–1658)
* Blind Orion Searching for the Rising Sun (1658)
* Landscape with Two Nymphs (1659)
* Landscape with Hercules and Cacus (c. 1660)
* Eliezer and Rebecca (1660-1665)
* Apollo and Daphne (1661–1664)

Painting series|

* Seven Sacraments (first series 1637–1640; second series 1644–1648)
* The Four Seasons (1660–1664)

Museums|

* Musée Nicolas Poussin

Related|

* Poussinists and Rubenists

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