1644
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Extreme Unction (recto) is a 1644 by Nicolas Poussin, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This faded drawing shows a group of people gathered around a sick person in bed. One figure kneels, holding the bedsheet, while others stand or lean in, looking worried. The scene feels tense, with hands reaching out and faces turned toward the bed. The background is blurry, but light comes from the top left, making some faces glow. The artist used soft shading to create depth, focusing on the faces and hands. This technique makes the figures look almost three-dimensional. Next, look up *chiaroscuro* to see how light and shadow create drama in art.
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.
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