Why did Poussinists believe drawing was more important than colour?

Poussinists believed that disegno (drawing) was superior to colour because they viewed drawing as an intellectual pursuit that satisfied the mind, whereas they considered colour to be merely a decorative accessory that served only to satisfy the eyes.1

This perspective was rooted in a Platonic philosophy, which held that ideal objects exist in the mind and can be reconstructed in art through a reasoned selection of beautiful parts from nature. To the Poussinists, colour was temporary and inessential compared to the use of line to depict form. Their stance was also influenced by a strong nationalistic motivation, as they championed the severe art of Nicolas Poussin, Raphael, and the Carracci, in opposition to the Rubenists, who favored the colour-focused approach of Peter Paul Rubens. Ultimately, this debate within the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture centered on whether the primary purpose of painting was to appeal to the intellect or the senses.1