Digitised Manuscripts and Books

[04 ? eompelled to drop the chisel and the’ brush to shoulder the musket while the terrible cares and the momentous issues we involved in those struggles thrust artistic culture into the backgrounds During the reignoor PouisoxXVLIL and hist successor France was occupied in putting her house in order , and so eould not give her: thoughts to the encouragement of art. Ever since Prince Gowanna in order to equip a regiment to fight against the Corsican conqueror sent to the mint a ser- vice of gold plate made for.one of his ancestors by OGellini, architecture, sculpture and painting in the land of Giotto have been an irony. Rut in France art revived with the accession of the lor beans dynasty +; Sand execrable "as was the taste of. the Bourgeois King still he fostered the new birth , and by his patronage save an impetus to a new school of painting which in time Usted va @bwiliiant. lustre on has ‘reign »° Then, "edliectors of the jewels; enamels “and carvings of bygone “epochs, “which are now so eagerly sought for but which had been neglected or tabooed until then, asain appeared. But the art of the French @ighteenth century continued to be ignored until Lord Hertforc brought it into prominence and worldwide repute. Had it not been for himnrstheveabinets 5 porcelaim and even the paintings of that period might have remained some time longer in the © Oe Or 2 In limbo to which they had been consigned by the Rev y were appreciated ; but ‘only by-~a iim- J England it is true the ited circle , and it was due to’ Lord Hertford that the their new importance and fame, and that thenceforth they have served as models and sources of inspiration to. the artists and decorators of all Europe.