The most celebrated contemporaries were Algardi and Fiammingo, who, among the crowd of imitators, retained the dignity of independent, and the praise in some degree of original, minds. By the former is the largest relievo extant, representing the invading army of Attila, met in its march to Rome by St. Leo. Francis du Quesnoy, born at Brussels, thence better known by his partial surname Fiammingo, is justly celebrated as the sculptor of children. The concert of cherubs at Naples, and the two infants in a monu ment at Rome, are his most admired works; of which latter. Rubens, no mean judge, writes thus: '• Nature rather than art appears to have sculptured them, and the marble is softened into life." But the compara tive purity in the style of these two masters availed little in opposition to the influence of the reigning taste. To Bernini, but immeasurably beneath him, Rusconi succeeded as the great man of the age, the former part of the eighteenth century. The greatest work of this artist, executed with the assistance of Monnot, he Gros, Maraldi, Moratti, Ottoni, and Rossi, pupils of the last school, and deeply embued with its erroneous principles, was the colossal statuary on St, John Lateran. With this school terminated in utter helplessness the further progress of sculpture during this era. To the conclusion of the last century, in deed, a crowd of artisans continued to haunt the scenes of former glory, but their names or ances would furnish neither illustration nor pleasure.
The history of transalpine sculpture during the preceding two centuries, now demands our attention. In France the immediate pupils of Giovanni di Bolog na, among whom as chief may be mentioned Adrian, Anzirevelle, Della Bella, and Tacca, fill up the inter val of forty years to the commencement of the reign of Louis XIV. a period highly favourable to French sculpture, in the practice of the art at least. This patronage indeed formed a part of that national and personal aggrandisement which constituted the poli tical rule of this reign. For the formation of a school of French art, he established academies, en dowed professorships, proclaimed rewards, instituted honours, and accomplished the object. But even dur ing this the golden age of her intellectual labours, France derived her arts from Italy; and unfortunately they were not the models of a purer age, the monu ments of more manly taste that engaged imitation. The works of Bernini and of his followers, the prin ciples of their design and composition, formed the guides of the French school. In both countries also, similarity of circumstances concurred to introduce the same vitiated style of practice and of criticism.
Of the school of sculpture in France during the reign of Louis XIV. two artists claim to be head. Gerardon, born at Troyes in 1630, and Puget at Mar seilles in 1622. The style of the former, though cold and somewhat heavy in design, is noble; more correct, firm, and manly, than that of his contemporaries. He excelled in modelling, which greatly contributed to the perfection of his works, the most remarkable of which are the tomb of Richelieu, and the equestrian statue of Louis, both in Paris. His most celebrated
pupils were Fremin, Charpentier, Granier, Nouris son. Were the works of Gerardon possessed of more character, and did they less frequently remind us of the productions of former masters, not many names in the history of modern art could be preferred. Strongly opposed to the disposition of his compatriot appears the character of the fiery and energetic Pu get, the favourite of native writers, who are fond of representing him as the Michael Angelo of France. In execution, his style is bold, rapid, and full.of move ment, but in composition he is studied, in science in accurate, and in the intellectual beauties of art, in elevation, nobleness, and grace, as also in the choice of forms, defective. The most esteemed work of this artist is the statue of Milo at Versailles, which indeed exhibits both the beauties and defects of his genius.
To the schools of these two may be referred, at least in principle, the succeeding artists of France; the manner of Puget, however, was the more popular, and becomes in some measure characteristic of the national art. Contemporaries of the above were Sar razin and Guillain; both of considerable merit, and of fine taste, especially the former, as may be seen from the Caryatides of the Louvre. As we advance to the conclusion of the seventeenth, and especially in the early portion of the last century, French sculptors become very numerous. Among the artists who flour ished during this interval may he mentioned, Le Pautre, Desjardins, Coysevaux, Vaucleve, and the two Con stou's, of whom Gregoire is highly distinguish ed by the horses in the champs Elysi:es; Falconet, celebrated for his writings and the equestrian statue of Peter of Russia at St. Petersburgh. During this period, as the opportunities of exercising it were on a grander scale, the art appeared to be in more flour ishing condition than in Italy; taste in both countries, however, was alike fallen. With Louis terminated the grandeur of French sculpture; under his imbecile successor it suffered a rapid decline; yet Bouchar don, the sculptor of greatest merit under this latter reign, possessed no mean talents, as may be seen from the bronze equestrian statue of Louis XIV. of which the horse is a master-piece. Louis XVI. early evinced a disposition to patronise the fine arts, and, previous to the revolutionary excesses, had given direc tions for a series of statues of the great men of France. To this series may be considered as belonging the statue of Voltaire by Pigal, now in the library of the Institute. This figure, without drapery, and, as the living original was remarkable for meagreness of per son, copied from a model the most emaciated and squalid to be found, gave occasion to the following epigram: Pigal au naturel represente Voltaire, Le squelette is la fois offre L'homme et L'auteur, L'ozil qui le voit, sans parure etrangere Est effraye de sa maigreur.