NICOLAS POUSSIN
1594-166 5
68 Two Women Accompanied by
Cupid
Pen and brown ink, brown wash, and black chalk; H
14.5 cm (5"/loin.); W: 12.4 cm (4%in.)
86.GG.4Ó8
MARKS AND INSCRIPTIONS: (Verso) collection mark o
Baron Milford (L. 2687).
PROVENANCE: Richard Philipps, Baron Milford, Pick
ton Castle, Pembrokeshire; by descent to Sir John Phi
lipps; Anthony Blunt, London; art market, Zurich; ar
market, Boston.
EXHIBITIONS: The Sir Anthony Blunt Collection, Cour
tauld Institute of Art, London, 1964, no. 57.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: W. Friedlànder and A. Blunt, Th
Drawings of Nicolas Poussin (London, 1974), vol. 5, p
115, no. 444.
: f - - t - e.THIS DRAWING WAS DISCOVERED BY BLUNT, WHO
considered it to be early, probably made during Poussins
first years in Rome (Courtauld Institute of Art 1964;
Friedlànder and Blunt 1974). It was pointed out by Blunt
and Friedlànder that the sheet accords stylistically with
the Marino series of drawings at Windsor Castle. This is
certainly true of the rather abstract rendering of features
and the broad use of wash, but the Museum's drawing is
somewhat more flexible in line and more fluently
achieved overall. In these respects and in certain mor-
phological details, it can be compared to the study of Ju-
piter and Antiope in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris (inv.
2865). In terms of subject it has been suggested that the
scene may represent a bride being led to her groom by a
putto and an attendant, while Cupid urges her on. The
drawing might have been made with a classical marriage
scene in mind or for a more specific theme such as Bac-
chus and Ariadne (Courtauld Institute of Art 1964; Fried-
lander and Blunt 1974).166 FRENCH SCHOOL • POUSSIN