07/08/2026
The painter hath made a finer story than the poet' 💬
The Rome-based French painted Nicolas Poussin drew on one of the most famous poems of the Renaissance, Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso 1581, to create this dramatic scene.
It shows the moment when Erminia, a Saracen princess, discovers the wounded Christian warrior Tancred. She cuts her hair to bind his wounds; her use of a sword to do so is Poussin's invention. Cherubs bearing torches and arrows indicate that the pair will soon be united in love.
When this painting was purchased in 1717 by the artist James Thornhill (whose murals adorn the walls above the grand staircase at Hanbury Hall in Worcestershire), it became the first work by Poussin to enter an English collection. Encountering it then, one contemporary viewer declared:
''The painter hath made a finer story than the poet'
It was one of also one of the first paintings to enter the Barber collection, in 1938 – a year before the Barber’s galleries opened.
Explore a selection of exceptional paintings from the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham , on view while the Barber undergoes a major refurbishment project.
Courtauld Members go free.
Until 31 August 2026
🎟️Included with Gallery Entry. Book now: https://courtauld.ac.uk/whats-on/exh-the-barber-in-london-highlights-from-a-remarkable-collection/
📷Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665), Tancred and Erminia, around 1634, oil paint on canvas. The Henry Barber Trust, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham
