In Nicolas Poussin’s painting, The Adoration of the Golden Calf', the viewer can immediately distinguish the focal point, the Golden Calf. The eye is drawn towards the cow that is on flat form. There are people dancing around the cow or gesturing towards it. The sky’s color contrast the bright gold-ness of the cow, which makes that cow jump out to the viewer. The painting is very realistic and the viewer cannot see any brush strokes.
The even distribution of blue, red and orange throughout the painting helps to unify the composition. The people dancing in a circle give the viewer the allusion of rhythm. Everyone in painting is moving, no one is standing still, not even the cow. The mountains in the background have realistic texture. The painting is balance with mountains in the background and the cow in the middle of two trees similar in size. Off in the distance the viewer can see a person holding what resembles a writing tablet ready to throw it. There is a chiaroscuro feeling towards the painting. The foreground has many bright and vivid colors which have a dramatic contrast to the dark background. A narrative that comes to mind would a village gathering around to worship the golden calf.
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