CÆSAR.
British Museum.
As for the miniatures in the MS. of the Gallic War there can be no doubt that they were reproduced from the original drawings at Chantilly, not because the author of the grisailles in that manuscript was unable to execute portraits himself—for he was evidently an excellent draughtsman—but because it was the fashion of the time to have such drawings taken from life and then reproduced in colour in order to spare their noble patrons the inconvenience of sitting so often. We have already stated that Godfroy le Battave reproduced in miniature on the frontispiece of the first volume of this MS. the effigy of Francis I. Beneath on the same page is a miniature of Cæsar, probably copied from an old cameo; whilst the miniature of the King can be traced to a painting now at Chantilly, attributed to Perréal, and formerly in the possession of Gaignières. It represents Francis I at the time of his accession and is so subtle in its representation of character that it fascinates by its obvious verisimilitude.
Another circumstance in favour of our proposition is found in the notes with reference to an intended execution in colours inscribed upon the back of the drawing supposed to represent Louis XII.[85] These notes are in a handwriting closely resembling the handwriting of Perréal in the Comptes de Lyon and in his autographs in the Bibliothèque Nationale, where he speaks of his “croions qui n’est que demy couleurs.”[86]
From the above arguments we are led to the conclusion that this delicate art of pencil drawing must have originated on French soil, and that it was apparently practised by Jean Fouquet,[87] Perréal, and probably also to a certain extent by Bourdichon, before Jean Clouet appeared in France.
Nevertheless, the latter, when he came to Tours, adapted his style—till then more closely resembling that of Holbein—to French requirements; and his son, François Clouet, developed this art to its highest perfection, combining his father’s methods with those of his French predecessors. It is to be hoped, since some examples of the work of the long-neglected Perréal have now come to light, that more proofs of his versatility and power may yet appear, and that we may arrive at something more definite regarding him. The portraits of Charles VIII and Anne de Bretagne, discovered by Bouchot in a small MS. volume once the property of Gaignières, recall the drawings in the Musée Condé which we have assigned to Perréal; and so also does a small panel portrait of Philip le Beau now in the Northbrook Collection.
Plate LII.