LES TROYS PREMIERS LIVRES DE L'HISTOIRE DE DIODORE SICILIEN, TRANSLATEZ DE LATIN EN FRANÇOYS, PAR ANT. MACAULT.... On les vent a Paris, en la rue de la Juifverie, devant la Magdaleine, à l'enseigne du Pot Cassé....[367]
Quarto, 1535. This book is embellished with a magnificent frontispiece representing Macault presenting his book to François I. Although unsigned, it is certainly Tory's.
'His chef-d'œuvre,' says M. Renouvier,[368] 'is, perhaps, the frontispiece of Macault's "Diodorus," in which we see François I seated in a chair with a back carved with fleurs-de-lis, at table with his children, his monkey, his greyhound, and his courtiers, while Macault reads his book to him. This engraving, the authorship of which is unquestionable, does not bear the Lorraine cross; the master published without that mark many another work which M. Bernard, in his scrupulous exactitude, has chosen not to mention. As some compensation for the works which I have denied to Tory, I may be allowed the pleasure of mentioning here one which M. Bernard has not attributed to him: "Les Fables d'Esopes mises en rithme françois," by Gilles Corrozet (Paris, Denys Janot, 1542). As the copy that I saw is not complete, it may be that the Lorraine cross might have been found somewhere in the book; but, in any event, that would not change the conviction based upon examination of the plates. The small engravings, with the first four lines of the fables, are set in borders decorated with pilasters and pediments in the master's style, and illustrated at the base with tiny drawings of amorous subjects, treated with his somewhat heavy-handed delicacy.
'There came from Tory's establishment, in the later years, many engravings of blended types which can be attributed to none but pupils, or even apprentices; analysis will always be impossible; when we have cast a light upon the head of a school, we must leave the tail to languish in the shadow. I will mention here, however, one pupil of Geofroy Tory, whom M. Bernard does not mention, namely, François Gryphe, brother of Sébastien Gryphe of Lyon. He engraved and printed, in 1539, a New Testament which, as very rarely happens, mentions the engraver of the plates on the title-page as well as in the privileges from the King and the Parliament which stand at the beginning and end of the book respectively. "Novum testamentum illustratum insignium rerum simulacris, cum ad veritatem historiæ, tum ad venustatem, singulari artificio expressis." (Here the mark of the griffin.) "Excudebat Fran. Gryphius, AN. MDXXXIX." And in the privilege: "Francoys Gryphius, bookseller, printer and tradesman, commorant in Paris ... prayed that he be permitted to cause to be printed and sold the New Testament, illustrated by him."
'The volume is a small octavo; the Lorraine cross does not appear, but there is a letter L engraved by Tory, and a series of small plates executed with a delicacy instinct with firmness, in accordance with types, attitudes and rules which can belong to no other school than his.'[369]