A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany Volume II Part 20

[166] [It was sold at the sale of M. Denon's pictures for 650 francs, and is numbered 187 in the Catalogue.]

[167] [One of these pictures brought 1,400, and the other 220 francs: prices, infinitely below their real worth. They should have been sold HERE!]

[168] [M. c.r.a.pelet says--this bust was modelled after the life by PIGALLE: and was, in turn, the model of that belonging to the figure of Voltaire in the library of the Inst.i.tute: see p. 195 ante.]

[169] [The result--judging from the comparative prices obtained at the sale--has confirmed the propriety of my predilection. It brought 5000 francs. In the sale catalogue, is the following observation attached: "On admire dans ce precieux tableau de chevalet la facilite surprenante de pinceau et cette harmonic parfaite de couleur qui faisaient dire au Tiarini, peintre contemporain, "Seigneur Guerchin, vous faites ce que vous voulez, et nous autres ce que nous pouvons."

No. 14.]

[170] ["This figure was cast from a model made by Montoni in 1809. There were ONLY six copies of it, of which four were in _bronze_ and two in _silver_." _Cat._ No. 717. I have not been able to learn the price for which it was sold.]

[171] The OPPOSITE PLATE will best attest the truth of the above remark. It exhibits a specimen of that precise period of art, when a taste for the gothic was beginning somewhat to subside. The countenance is yet hard and severely marked; but the expression is easy and natural, and the _likeness_ I should conceive to be perfect. As such, the picture is invaluable. [So far in the preceding edition. The sequel is a little mortifying. The above picture, an undoubted _original_--and by a master (the supposed pupil of John Van Eyk) who introduced the art of oil-painting into Italy--was sold for only 162 francs: whereas the _copy_ of it, in oil, by Laurent, executed expressly for the accompanying plate (and executed with great skill and fidelity) cost 400 francs!]

[172] [What a taste have the Virtuosi at Paris! This interesting picture was allowed to be sold for 162 francs only. Who is its fortunate Possessor?]

[173] [The OPPOSITE PLATE, which exhibits the head in question, is a sufficient confirmation of the above remark.]

[174] [First, of the MARC ANTONIOS. Since the sale of the _Silvestre_ Collection, in 1810, nothing had been seen at Paris like that of M.

Denon. It was begun to be formed in the eighteenth century: from which it is clear, that, not only was every proof at least an hundred years old, but, at that period, ZANETTI, the previous possessor of this Collection, sought far and wide, and with unremitting diligence, for the acquisition of the choicest impressions of the engraver. In fact, this Collection, (contained in an imperial folio volume, bound in morocco--and of which I necessarily took but a hasty glance) consisted of 117 _original_ impressions, and of 26 of such as were executed in the _school_ of M. Antonio. Of the original impressions, the whole, with the exception of four only, belonged to Zanetti. "If, says the compiler of the Catalogue, (1826, 8vo. p. ij.) some of the impressions have a dingy tint, from the casualties of time, none have been washed, cleaned, or pa.s.sed through chemical experiments to give them a treacherous look of cleanliness." This is sound orthodoxy. The whole was put up in one lot, and ... BOUGHT IN.

Secondly, for the REMBRANDTS. The like had never been before submitted to public auction. The Collections of _Silvestre_ and _Morel de Vinde_ out and out eclipsed! _Zanetti_ again--the incomparable--the felicitous--the unrivalled Zanetti had been the possessor of THIS Collection also. But yet more ... John Peter Zoomer, a contemporary (and peradventure a boon companion) of Rembrandt, was the original former of the Collection. It is therefore announced as being COMPLETE in all respects--"exhibiting all the changes, retouches, beautiful proofs, on India and other paper: ample margins, unstained, uninjured; and the impressions themselves, in every stage, bright, rich, and perfect. The result of all the trouble and expence of 50 years toil of collection is concentrated in this Collection." So says John Peter Zoomer, the original collector and contemporary of Rembrandt. It consisted of 394 original pieces: 3, attributed to Rembrandt, without his name: 11, of John Lievens, Ferdinand Bol, and J.G. Villet: 11 copies: and 9 engraved in the manner of Rembrandt. The whole contained in 3 large folio volumes, bound in red morocco.

No reasonable man will expect even a precis of the treasures of this marvellous Collection: A glance of the text will justify every thing to follow: but the "Advertis.e.m.e.nt" to the Catalogue prepares the purchaser for the portrait of _Rembrandt with the bordered cloak_-- Ditto, _with the Sabre--Ephraim Bonus_ with the _black ring_--the _Coppinol_, as above described--the _Advocate Tolling_--the _Annunciation of Christ's Nativity to the Shepherds--the _Resurrection of Lazarus--Christ healing the Sick_; called the _Hundred Guilders_[H]--the _Astrologer asleep_--and several _Landscapes_ not elsewhere to be found--of which one, called the _Fishermen_ (No. 456) had escaped Bartsch, &c. &c. The descriptions of the several articles of which this Collection was composed, occupy 47 pages of the Catalogue. The three volumes were put up to sale--as a SINGLE LOT--at the price of 50,000 francs:--and there was _no purchaser_. Of its present destiny, I am ignorant: but there are those in this country, who, to my knowledge, would have given 35,000 francs.

I ought to add, that M. Denon's collection of CALLOT'S WORKS, in three large folio volumes,--bound in calf--also once the property of Zanetti--and than which a finer set is supposed never to have been exhibited for sale--produced 1000 francs: certainly a moderate sum, if what Zanetti here says of it (in a letter to his friend Gaburri, of the date of 1726) be true. "If ever you do this country (Venice) the honour of a visit, you will see in my little cabinet a collection of CALLOTS, such as you will not see elsewhere--not in the royal collection at Paris, nor in the Prince Eugene's, at Vienna--where the finest and rarest impressions are supposed to be collected. I possess _every_ impression of the plates which Callot executed; many of them containing first proofs, retouched and corrected by the engraver himself in red chalk. I bought this Collection at Paris, and it cost me 1950 francs. They say it was formed by the engraver himself for his friend M. Gerard an Amateur of Prints." "It should seem that Zanetti's description was a little overcharged; but in _his_ time there was no complete catalogue of the artists." Cat. p. 153.

[H] It formed No. 345 of the Catalogue; where it is described as being "a magnificent proof upon India paper, with a margin of 15 lines all round it. It was with the bur, and before the cross-hatchings upon the mane of the a.s.s." The finest copy of this subject, sold in this country, was that formerly in the collection of M. Bernard; and recently purchased by T. Wilson, Esq. Will the reader object to disporting himself with some REMBRANDTIANA, in the _Bibliomania_ p. 680-2.?

[175] One of those pictures (No. 188 in the Catalogue) produced 3015 francs: the other, only 180 francs. The Sebastian Bourdon (No. 139,) was sold for 67 francs, and the Parmegiano, (No. 34) for 288 francs.

[176] See the _Bibliographical Decameron_; vol. i. p. clvii. &c. [M.

Denon's Missal was purchased by an English amateur, and sold at the sale of the Rev. Theodore Williams's Library for 143. 17s.]

[177] [Ere we take leave of this distinguished Frenchman, let us dwell for two seconds on his autograph.

[Autograph: Denon]

[178] There has been recently struck (I think, in 1819) a medal with the same obverse and reverse, of about the size between an English farthing and halfpenny. The statue of Henry is perhaps the MIRACLE OF ART: but it requires a microscopic gla.s.s to appreciate its wonders.

Correctly speaking, probably, such efforts are not in the purest good taste. Simplicity is the soul of numismatic beauty.

[179] The Artist who struck the series of medals to commemorate the campaigns of the Duke of Wellington, from his landing in Portugal to the battle of Waterloo.

[180] [See the OPPOSITE PLATE, which represents the upper part of the Picture.]

[181] [I sent a commission for it, for a friend, at the sale of Mr.

Craufurd's effects, but lost it.]

[182] [Purchased by myself: and now at Hodnet.]

[183] [This picture was purchased for the gallery at ALTHORP. There is an exquisite drawing of it by Wright, for the purpose of a stipling engraving.]

[184] It was purchased by the late King of France for 10,000 francs.

[185] [Purchased for the gallery at ALTHORP.]

[186] The above quotation is incomplete; for the pa.s.sage alluded to runs thus.--"Where is the painter so well sorting his colours, that could paint these faire eyes that are the _windows of the body, and gla.s.ses of the soul_." The continuation is in a very picturesque style. See the _Theatre or Rule of the World_, p. 236-7, quoted in a recent (1808) edition of _More's Utopia_, vol. ii. p. 143. But _Primaudaye's French Academy_, Lond. 1605, 4to. runs very much in the same strain.

[187] A little graphic history belongs to this picture. I obtained a most beautiful and accurate copy of it by M. Le Coeure, on a reduced scale: from which Mr. J. Thomson made an Engraving, as a PRIVATE PLATE, and only 75 copies were struck off. The plate was then destroyed; the impressions selling for a guinea. They are now so rare as to be worth treble that sum: and proofs upon India paper, before the letter, may be worth 5. 5s. Three proofs only were struck off of the plate in its _mutilated_ state; of which my friends Mr. Haslewood and Mr. G. H.

Freeling rejoice in their possession of a copy. The drawing, by Coeure, was sold for 20 guineas at the sale of my drawings, by Mr.

Evans, in 1822, but it has been subsequently sold for only _nine_ guineas; and of which my worthy friend A. Nicholson, Esq.--"a good man, and a true"--is in the possession.

Subsequently, the ABOVE ORIGINAL picture was sold; and I was too happy to procure it for the gallery at Althorp for _twelve_ guineas only!

[188] [A magnificent whole length portrait of this first DUKE DE GUISE, painted by PORBUS--with a warmth and vigour of touch, throughout, which are not unworthy of t.i.tian--now adorns the very fine gallery at Althorp: where is also a whole length portrait of ANNE OF AUSTRIA, by Mignard. Both pictures are from the same Collection; and are each probably the masterpiece of the artist. They are of the size of life.]

[189] [Mr. Craufurd died at Paris in 1821.]

[190] ["Amateurs, connaisseurs, examinateurs, auteurs de revues du Salon, parodistes meme, vous n'entendez rien a ce genre de critique; prenez M. Dibdin pour modele: voila' la _bonne ecole_!" CHAPELET, vol.

iv. p. 200. My translator shall here have the full benefit of his own bombastical nonsense.]

_LETTER XI._

NOTICE OF M. WILLEMIN'S MONUMENS FRANcAIS INeDITS. MISCELLANEOUS ANTIQUITIES. PRESENT STATE OF THE FINE ARTS. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS UPON THE NATIONAL CHARACTER.

_July 8, 1818_.

I rejoice that it is in my power once more--and certainly for the last time, from hence--to address you upon a few subjects, which, from your earlier replies to my Paris letters, you seem to think that I have lost sight of. These subjects, relate chiefly to ANTIQUITIES. Be a.s.sured that I have never, for one moment, been indifferent to them; but in the vast bibliographical field which the public libraries of this place held out for my perambulation, it was impossible, in the first instance, not to take advantage of the curious, and probably useful information, to be derived from thence.

I must begin therefore by telling you that I had often heard of the una.s.suming and a.s.siduous author of the _Monumens Francais Inedits_, and was resolved to pay him a visit. I found him in the _Rue Babile_ towards the eastern end of the Rue St. Honore, living on the third floor. Several young females were in the ante-room, colouring the plates of that work; which are chiefly in outline and in aqua-tint. Each livraison contains six plates, at twelve francs the livraison. The form is folio, and about twenty-eight numbers are printed.[191] There is something in them of every thing: furniture, dresses, houses, castles, churches, stained gla.s.s, paintings, and sculpture. Illuminated MSS. are as freely laid under contribution as are the outsides and insides of buildings, of whatsoever description.

Indeed I hardly ever visited the Public Library without finding M. Willemin busied, with his pencil and tracing paper, with some ancient illuminated MS. The style of art in the publication here noticed, is, upon the whole, feeble; but as the price of the work is moderate, no purchaser can reasonably complain. The variety and quant.i.ty of the embellishments will always render M. Willemin's work an acceptable inmate in every well-chosen library. I recommend it to you strongly; premising, that the author professedly discards all pretension to profound or very critical antiquarian learning.

For himself, M. Willemin is among the most enthusiastic, but most modest, of his antiquarian brethren. He has seen better days. His abode and manners afford evidence that he was once surrounded by comparative affluence and respectability. A picture of his deceased wife hung over the chimney-piece.

The back-ground evinced a gaily furnished apartment. "Yes, Sir, (said M.W.--on observing that I noticed it) such was _once_ my room, and its _chief ornament_"--Of course I construed the latter to be his late wife.

"Alas! (resumed he) in better days, I had six splendid cabinets filled with curiosities. I have now--not a single one! Such is life." He admitted that his publication brought him a very trifling profit; and that, out of his own country, he considered the _London_ market as the most advantageous to him. A large broken phial, containing water and a fleur-de-lis in full bloom, was the only, ornament of his mantle piece. "Have you no curiosities of any kind--(said I to him) for sale?" "None--" replied he; but he had _drawings_ of a few. "Have the kindness to shew me some of these drawings"--and forthwith appeared the case and _pocket-knife of Diane de Poictiers_, drawn from the original by Langlois. "Where is the original?"

observed I, hastily. "Ha, Sir, you are not singular in your question. A n.o.bleman of your country was almost losing his wits because he could not purchase it:--and yet, this original was once to be obtained for _twenty louis_!" I confess I was glad to obtain the drawing of Langlois for two napoleons. It is minutely and prettily executed, and apparently with great fidelity.

M. Willemin proceeded to shew me a few more drawings for his national work, telling me precisely what he _meant_, and what he did _not_ mean, to publish. His own drawings with a pen are, some of them, of a masterly execution; and although of a less brilliant and less cla.s.sical style than those of LE NOIR, M. Willemin is still an artist of whom his country will always have reason to be proud. I bought several drawings of him.[192] One represents the sculptured figures upon the outside of the _grand portal_ of the _Cathedral of Chartres._ These figures seem to be of the thirteenth century. The other drawing is of a rich piece of _fayence_, or of painted and glazed earthenware dish, and about the middle of the sixteenth century: of which I remember to have seen some very curious specimens at Denon's.

But nothing can be more singular, and at the same time more beautiful of its kind, than the present specimen--supposed to be the work of the famous Bernard Palissy. Paris is full of such treasures.

Of all cities, PARIS is probably that which abounds with rich and curious relics of ancient art. Its churches, its palaces, its public buildings-- sometimes grotesque and sometimes magnificent--furnish alike subjects for admiration and materials for collection. But the genius of the French does not lie in this pursuit. From the commencement of the sixteenth century, the ANTIQUITIES OF PARIS might have supplied a critical antiquary with matter for a publication which could have been second only to the immortal work of Piranesi. But with the exception of Montfaucon, (which I admit to be a most splendid exception) and recently of MILLIN and LE NOIR, France hardly boasts of an indigenous Antiquary. In our own country, we have good reason to be proud of this department of literature. The names of Leland, Camden, Cotton, Dugdale, Gibson, Tanner, Gough, and Lysons, place us even upon a level with the antiquarians of Italy. It was only the other day that M. Willemin was urging me, on my return to England, to take _Beauvais_ in my way, in order to pay a visit to Madame la Comtesse de G., living at a chateau about three leagues from that place. She possesses a collection of carved wood, in bas-reliefs, porches, stair-cases, &c. all from a neighbouring dilapidated abbey; and, among other things, one singular piece of sculpture, descriptive of the temptation of St Anthony. He had reason to think that the Countess might be more successfully tempted than was the Saint just mentioned; in other words, that these things were to be had rather for "money" than for "love."

For specimens of the costume of the lower cla.s.ses, the _south_ side of the Seine must be chiefly visited. The great streets which lead thither are those of _St. Victor, St. Jaques_, and _De La Harpe_. Mr. Lewis had frequently strolled to this quarter of Paris; and his attention was one morning particularly directed to a group of _Blanchisseuses_--who were halting beneath their burdens to have a little gossip with each other. See how characteristically he has treated the subject.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

One of the causes of the want of encouragement in NATIONAL ANTIQUITIES, among the French, may arise from the natural love of the people for what is gay and gaudy, rather than for what is grave and instructive. And yet, when will nations learn that few things tend so strongly to keep alive a pure spirit of PATRIOTISM as _such_ a study or pursuit? As we reverence the past, so do we antic.i.p.ate the future. To love what our forefathers have done in arts, in arms, or in learning, is to lay the surest foundation for a proper respect for our own memories in after ages. But with Millin, I fear, the study of Archaeology will sleep soundly, if not expire, among the Parisians. VISCONTI has doubtless left a splendid name behind him here; but Visconti was an Italian. No; my friend--the ARTS have recently taken an exclusive turn for the admiration, even to adoration, of portrait and historical painters: No LYSONSES, no BLORES, no MACKENZIES are patronised either at Paris or in the other great cities of France. I must however make an honourable exception in favour of the direction given to the splendid talents of MADAME JAQUOTOT. And I cannot, in common justice, omit, on this occasion, paying a very sincere tribute of respect to the PRESENT KING[193]--who has really been instrumental to this direction. I have lately paid this clever lady a morning visit, with a letter of introduction from our common friend M. Langles. As I was very courteously received, I begged that I might only see such specimens of her art as would give her the least possible trouble, and afford me at the same time an opportunity of judging of her talents.