A rough sketch of modern Paris

by J. G. Lemaistre

Am, &c.

LETTER II.

The palace and gardens of the Thuilleries.—The Louvre.—The musée central des arts, or picture gallery.—Maria Cosway.—Gallery of antiquities.—Apollo Belvidere.—Laocoon.—List of pictures.

Paris, november the 6th, 1801 (15 brumaire, an 10.)

MY DEAR SIR,

Having in my last letter given the details of my journey, I shall proceed to speak in this of what I have already seen at Paris. The first objects of curiosity to which my steps were directed, were of course the Thuilleries and the Louvre. Of the garden of the former it is difficult to say any thing at this unfavourable season of the year. It appears, however, to have undergone but little alteration, and to have received the additional ornament of several statues, which are scattered about the grounds. The château or palace of the Thuilleries is also unchanged in that part of it which faces the garden, but the appearance of the great front, (I mean that towards the Carousel,) is much improved, and has become strikingly magnificent. It promises to be still more so, when the whole of the projected amendments are completed. When I last visited Paris, a number of small houses surrounded the palace, and seemed to conceal it from the profane eye of the vulgar. The greater part of these houses are already pulled down, and the gallery of the Louvre, no longer kept from view, forms a magnificent side to the spacious court by which the palace is approached, and in which the first consul reviews his troops, on the 15th of every month. This court is separated from the street, by a beautiful iron railing, the four gates of which are ornamented with the celebrated horses taken from Venice, and with the birds (I believe cocks) which, in imitation of the roman eagles, the french republic has adopted as her distinguishing symbol. The opening is already extended as far as la rue St. Nicaise. Houses are daily pulled down, and I understand it is the intention of the present government to clear away all the remaining obstacles, which separate the palace of the Louvre from that of the Thuilleries. When this great plan is fully executed, the residence of the first consul will greatly exceed in magnificence all the palaces of Europe.

In the Louvre is situated the museum or musée central des arts. This superb collection, without exception the finest in the world, occupies a room equally unrivalled, covering a space at least equal to a quarter of an english mile. The antichamber[2] to this vast gallery is at present filled with a modern exhibition of paintings, which, indifferent in themselves, become still more contemptible by an involuntary, though perhaps unfair, comparison, which one is led to make between the artists of our times, and those of our ancestors. An excellent likeness in full length of madame Bonaparte, and a beautiful miniature of a father and a son, by Isabey, were the only objects which attracted my attention. My impatience soon carried me forward. At length I found myself in the magnificent room, which I have before mentioned, the walls of which are covered as far as the eye can reach with the sublimest efforts of human art. Where the mind has long been promised a pleasure, when fancy has dressed it in all her choicest colours, how seldom does the reality approach the phantom of heated imagination! For once I was not disappointed. I expected it is true, a high gratification. I had formed to myself an exalted idea of the objects, which I was about to visit, yet the satisfaction I felt exceeded, far exceeded, what I supposed it possible for the power of sight to afford; nor did I believe that the hand of man was capable of attaining that degree of perfection, which I now beheld. For some time I was lost in wonder, I knew not where to fix my enraptured eye. A catalogue which was offered me, by one of the attendants, and which as I afterwards found, is drawn up with great clearness and precision, roused me from this pleasing reverie, and gave some order to the train of my thoughts. The arrangement of the collection is admirable.

After viewing the masterpieces of la Sueur, le Brun, Nicolas Poussin, and the three Van Loos, I supposed I had already seen the utmost efforts of the art, and even, under this supposition, was ready to allow that my highest ideas of the power of painting fell short of what these specimens presented. Think of my surprise, when, looking on my catalogue, I found that I had not yet passed the limits of the french school. Astonished and delighted I went on. The flemish, dutch, and german masters occupy the second division. Among them I beheld the exquisite works of Van Dyck, of Hans Holbein, of Paul Potter, of Rembrandt, of Teniers, and of Rubens. Sublime as were the first, objects that had claimed my admiration, even they were exceeded by the latter. Nor had I yet seen the acme of the art. Charmed with the fancy and execution of all the flemish painters, I was particularly pleased with the beautiful pasturage, by Paul Potter, every object of which seems alive on the canvass.

A few steps would bring me in view of the wonders of Italy, to see which so many of my countrymen had crossed the Alps; yet so enraptured was I with the objects already before me, that it required all the importunity of my companions, to persuade me to proceed. I was soon rewarded for this temporary sacrifice, and in contemplating the almost supernatural works of Corregio, of Caravaggio, of the Carracci, of Dominichino, of Guido, of Leonardo da Vinci, of Paul Veronese, of Raphael and of Titian. I discovered, that what I had seen before were only so many links in the great chain of perfection, which was now complete. If among those models of the art, you wish me to name some particular picture, I should give the preference to the communion of St. Jerome, by Dominichino, which in expression, colouring, feeling, and variety, seems to me to possess every beauty united.