Pigal's finest work is a statue of Mercury, which we believe is at Lyons, of which he was a native; he founded a numerous school, of which are Mouchy, Lebrune, Moette, Bocquet, Chaudet, and others, who bring down art to our own times.
In Spain, during the preceding period, many sculp tors might be mentioned; but their influence extended not beyond their own country, their works being little known without the walls of Madrid, Grenada, Cor dova, Seville, where they form chiefly the internal decorations of churches. The principles of the Spanish school are derived from Italy. In Germany, the reputation of Rauchmuller of Vienna, of Leigebe in Silesia, of Schluter at Berlin, Millich, Barthel, and others maintained reputation during the period now spoken of. Ohnmacht, Sonnenschein, Nahl bring the art to contemporaries of the present century.
On reviewing what has been said, it will appear that in the fifteenth century, the fine arts became im portant as national causes: till this date they had flourished in connection with those of utility, rather than from abstract feeling of the pleasures awakened, or the moral impressions enforced by the great and the elegant. While sculpture in particular was thus cultivated with the ardour inspired by a fresh object, it was improved by the vigorous efforts of unworn and unshackled intellect. Hence it has been the singu lar fate of the sculptors of this period, to have creat ed models in those that followed, while they have con tinued models themselves; to have remained originals, in succeeding ages of originality. During the six teenth century, political causes, more remotely con nected with real patriotism, an ostentatious desire of splendour, not an unaffected love of refinement, ope rated in the promotion of the arts; and the artificial excitement seems to have imparted a portion of its spirit to its effects. Sculpture, indeed, was prac tised with the magnificence and success, which power, riches, and talents, will assuredly but purity and simplicity of design disappeared in pro portion as peculiar ideas of grandeur and novelty were pursued. Genius hovered on the very confines of credibility; its creations derived their elements exclusively from an imagination awful and imposing; but the sympathies of human feeling were overwhelm ed, not awakened, by those visionary forms of gloomy sublimity and power. Art was raised to regions where nature was unknown, and where the very high est exertions of intellect and fancy could hardly main tain empire or preserve interest. It fell therefore
with him who had placed it on this dangerous height. While every preceding deviation from nature and simplicity was exaggerated in the sculpture of the two following centuries, the grandeur and originality which had redeemed minor imperfections were lost in the feeble hands of imitators. Nature was everywhere abandoned, conceit and affectation usurped the names of taste and of grace; and the solitary quality which finally remained—dexterity of hand, was calculated only to increase absurdity and mannerism, by afford ing facility of execution to every capricious novelty.
From the age of Michael Angelo inclusive, we find that the desire of novelty, a continued endeavour to extend the boundaries of the art by the introduction of imaginary perfections inconsistent with its real character and excellence, were the rocks on which was made fatal shipwreck of truth, of simplicity, and beauty. These imagined improvements were directed to the acquisition of two grand objects. A style of composition was aimed at more purely ideal, less con nected with nature than is to be found in the remains of the ancient, or in the works of the early modern masters, or than is consistent with the principles of art. As characteristics of this imaginative style, the proportions are enlarged, the expressions forced, and power and energy are given destructive of grace and of reality. This was more especially the style of the Tuscan school. In the second place, sculpture was sought to be assimilated to painting, and merit was estimated by the extent to which imitation in this re spect was carried—in difficulty and variety of effect, and in complicated detail, and in volume of drapery, and latterly even in facility of production. This taste necessarily cherished the mechanical powers of exe cution, in preference to the unobtrusive beauties of purity and correctness of design. This style began decidedly to display itself in the school of Bernini; and subsequently sculptors excelled, or rather were less inferior, according to the manner of the painter whom they followed as a model; till finally imitating Pietro da Cortona, and even Carlo Marratti, they ren dered statues confused masses of cumbrous drapery, from which heads and extremities protruded often with little apparent connection. Still the chisel was wielded in a bold and even skilful manner; but moral beauty, sentiment, and truth,—chaste design and graceful composition had long ceased to animate the proofs of its mastery.