In the S.E. corner a handsome staircase leads up to the [Galerie Chenavard] on the first floor, containing large cartoons drawn by him illustrative of the scenes which accompanied the introduction of Christianity into France. They were intended for the Pantheon of Paris, but, the age of reason supervening, they were not sent. On the floors are three beautiful mosaic pavements found at Lyons. In the room above are the best pictures—J. F. Barbieri, 1590-1661; Bol, Breughel, P. Caliari, 1530-1588; A. Carracci, 1557-1602; L. Carracci, 1555-1619; P. Champaigne, Crayer, Greuze, 1721-1805; E. L. David, 1748-1825; Desportes, 1661-1742; Cuyp, Van Dyck, Heem, 1604-1674; Jordaens, Jouvenet, 1644-1717; Largillière, M. Mierveld, Murillo, 1618-1682; J. Palma, 1544-1628; Pietro Perugino, 1446-1524; an Ascension of Christ, considered the gem of the collection.
This picture, originally in the church of San Pietro at Perugia, was presented by Pope Pio VII. “in attestato del suo affetto é della grata sua rimembranza per la citta di Lione.” The lower part of the picture is by far the best, the figures in the air are too massive, and the posture of J. C. is stiff. J. Ribera, 1584-1656; H. Rigaud, 1552-1745*; Robusti, 1512-1594; Rubens, Ruysdael, A. del Sarto, 1488-1530; Sasso Ferrati, 1605-1685; Schorreel, 1495-1565; Sueur, 1617-1656; Sneyders, Teniers, Terburg, Zampieri, and Zurbaran.
* Text shown as printed. Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1659-1743.
The Palais des Arts contains also the Natural History Museum, the [Mineralogical Collection], in which are represented the characteristic rocks and fossils of every department of France, and the copper ores from the mine of Chessy, near Arbrèsle; and a library containing 40,000 engravings and drawings, and 650 volumes treating principally on the arts and sciences. There are likewise 6 municipal libraries, open every evening from 7 to 10, and the Bibliothèque de la Ville.
Lyons: Place Terreaux. Hôtel de Ville.
On the north side of the [Place des Terreaux] is the [Hôtel de Ville], built in 1665 by Maupin, at the cost of £320,000. The facade, flanked by domed square pavilions, is 160 ft. wide, while the building itself is 1150 ft. long. The back part, fronting the theatre, is the Préfecture. From the centre rises the clock-tower, 157 ft. high. On the façade over the entrance is an equestrian statue of Henri IV. in bold relief. Within the vestibule, to the right and left, are colossal bronze groups, by the brothers Coustou, representing the Rhône and the Saône. They stood originally under the statue of Louis XIV. in the Place Bellecour.
In 1642 Cinq Mars and De Thou were executed, by order of Richelieu, in the Place des Terreaux. In 1794 the revolutionary tribunal, sitting in the Hôtel de Ville, guillotined so many people in this square that it became so flooded with blood as to render it necessary to send the executioners to Brotteaux, near the present railway station, to finish this wholesale slaughter of Frenchmen by Frenchmen.
Lyons: Condition des Soies. Library. Bourse. Silk Museum.
Behind the Hôtel de Ville, up the Rue de St. Polycarpe, house No. 7, is the establishment of the [Condition des Soies], where the bales of silk brought to Lyons are sent to be dried. They are placed on an iron grating, and subjected for twenty-four hours to a temperature of from 64° to 72° Fahr., and are weighed both before and after this operation. The same is done to the wool. The sample drying room is in the first story, left hand. Any one may visit it. A little higher up are St. Polycarpe built in 1760, and St. Bruno built in 1688. At the opposite end of the bridge of St. Clair is the English church.
In the Rue de la République is the [Bourse], a profusely ornamented edifice inaugurated in 1860. At the south end is St. Bonaventure, built in the 14th cent., and recently restored. At the north end is the Lycée with the [public library], containing the great terrestrial globe made at Lyons in 1701, indicating the great African lakes, the rediscovery of which has been one of the events of the present century. There are 160,000 volumes and 2500 manuscripts,—about 600 of the printed works being incunabula, and 25 of the MSS. belonging to the Carlovingian period.