Studie voor de wijding der Apostelen

Studie voor de wijding der Apostelen (Study for the Ordination of the Apostles) is a significant preparatory drawing created by the French master Nicolas Poussin between 1642 and 1644. Executed in ink on paper, this work reveals Poussin’s meticulous planning for one of his key religious commissions, likely related to his series illustrating the Seven Sacraments. The central subject depicts Christ transferring spiritual authority to the Apostles, a critical moment in Christian iconography that demands careful attention to composition and gesture. This drawing provides valuable insight into the artist’s process during his High Baroque period, a time when he was working primarily in Rome, establishing the principles of classicism that would define his later career.

The piece demonstrates Poussin’s rigorous compositional approach, utilizing subtle lines and hatching to define drapery, volumetric form, and the implied architectural space. While many of Poussin’s large-scale historical paintings are celebrated for their intellectual restraint and classical balance, these detailed drawings are vital references for understanding the intellectual foundation of his methods. This study appears to map out the overall setting and the precise placement of figures within a defined environment, consistent with the artist's emphasis on clarity and narrative precision.

As a leading figure in 17th-century art, Poussin's influence on subsequent academic traditions was profound. Though the original drawing is a unique artifact held by the Rijksmuseum, the widespread historical appreciation for Poussin’s work means that many related images and high-quality prints of his compositions exist, often released into the public domain for scholarly study. The existence of drawings like Studie voor de wijding der Apostelen confirms Poussin’s reliance on extensive preliminary work before committing to the final canvas.