The first sovereign who contributed to revive the arts from this state of torpor was Charles III. of Naples. Ile encouraged archi tecture on a grand and extensive scale. At Rome, Cardinal Albani formed a collection of the finest remains of ancient sculpture that could be procured ; and by attaching to him all the most distinguished litte rati and the best artists of his day, made his palace the resort of all who felt an interest in the pursuits to which he himself was so devoted. Under the auspices of this " Hadrian of his age," as Cardinal Albani has been justly called, Winekelman produced the first work in which the history of the arts of design had been treated in a learned, piffle sciTillical, and scholar-like manner ; and it has been the model and groundwork of all succeeding and improved works upon the same subject The popes Clement XII. and Benedict XIV., as well as Clement XI II. and Clement XIV., contributed also to create a feeling for the sculpture of the ancients by accumulating monuments of various kinds in the pontifical palace. To Clement XIV. we are indebted for the foundation of the 3luseo Clementine in the Vatican, which received such noble additions by the liberality of his successor, Pius VI., that the name of the latter pontiff was associated with that of its founder in giving a title to the collection, and a considerable portion of the gallery of ancient sculpture is still known as the Musee Pio-Clementine. Till Pius VI. issued an order to prevent the removal of works of art, the remains of antiquity discovered in Rome and its neighbourhood could be sold and taken out of the country. The pope, desiring to increase his collection, and preserve to Rome whatever could be recovered by excavation, prohibited anything being removed out of his dominions without a special permission. This order pro cured for his agents the first choice of whatever statues or other monu ments of sculpture were found; and the extensive purchases effected by this means soon filled the Vatican with works of ancient sculpture, which, with the additions made by succeeding popes, have made it the most celebrated, as it is the most valuable, collection of its kind in the world. The discovery of the long buried remains of art in Hercula neum and I'ompeii led to the formation of a museum of the same kind at Portici; and, in bronzes especially, the Neapolitan collection is without a rival. Among the sovereigns of Italy who contributed to the revival of design, Leopold, grand-duke of Tuscany, must likewise be included. The sculptors of this period were Cavaceppi, Peuna, and a few others, in whose hands sculpture made some progress towards a more healthy state. The immediate influence of the Bernini school had ceased to be felt, and the opportunity was given, which these artists in some degree availed themselves of, to introduce art upon purer principles. It must be admitted that what they produced was , eminently deficient in original feeling, and their best works were little more than somewhat tame copies or adaptations of ancient subjects and models ; but at least the practice of the art was continued, and when men of greater power and more vigorous minds appeared, they had not to begin afresh from the infancy of sculpture, nor from the miserably low point to which the Bernini manlier had reduced it. Before touching upon the most celebrated sculptors who reformed and restored the taste for art in our age, we shall take a rapid survey of the history of sculpture in England.
The Britons had not the advantage of very skilful instructors in the Roman soldiers by whom the country was so long held in subjection ; but during this foreign dominion the native inhabitants had learned to adopt many of the arts. The making of arms and coining money had also taught them some important processes in the more refined arts, and the knowledge thus acquired was not allowed to fall into entire disuse ; and it appears that, after the departure of the Romans, the Britons continued to practise some branches of sculpture. Speed
(quoted by Flaxman,`Lett.' I.) says that "King Cadwallo, being buried in St. Martin's Church, near Ludgate, his image, great and terrible, triumphantly riding on horseback, artificially in brass, was placed on the western gate of the city," Ise. The workmanship of this " grmt and terrible " statue was doubtless very rude and barbarous, but it is interesting to find the tradition of a work of art east in brass in this country at so early a date. The death of Cadwallo is placed at A.D. 677.
The edifices erected in England after the final settlement of the Saxons in this country, and down to the reign of Henry I., seem to have been nearly in the same style, exhibiting plain fortrem-like.con struction, and repetitions of heavy columns and arches. Sculpture was so little employed, that it is believed there is no sepulchral statue in England of earlier date than towards the end of the 11th century, though the French had begun to decorate their coffin-lids with figures, Sc., as early as the 9th. We may conclude, therefore, that this prac tice was first introduced into the country at the Norman invasion.
All the oldest monuments in which figures are thus represented are of ecclesiastics. Two specimens of these sculptured effigies, carved in very low relief on coffin-shaped slabs, may be seen in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey. They are supposed to represent two abbots, Vitalis, who died in 1087, and Crispinus, who died in 1117. Similar monuments are preserved in Worcester cathedral, of St. Oswald and Bishop Wulstan. These sculptures, of extremely rude design and workmanship, have been much injured by time and violence, but they are curious as the earliest examples of the kind in this country. It has been thought probable that one reason for not decorating with figures, or any distinguishing device, the stone coffins in which more illustrious persons were enclosed, was to preserve them from the chance of violence which might have been offered to them, in order to gain possession of the ornaments that usually were deposited with individuals of exalted rank. Several monuments of bishops and abbots which have been opened have shown the deceased fully habited in his episcopal robes, with his ring on his hand, and an enriched crozier either lying by his side or across the body. The more sacred character of the occupant of the tomb, and of the objects buried with him, might prevent any indignity being offered to them ; but kings and princes would not be considered in the same view, and, as they would no doubt be even more richly dressed than ecclesiastics, however high their rank, their tombs would offer greater temptation to sacrilegious avarice. The circumstance of the tomb of William Rufus in Win cheater cathedral being entirely devoid of ornament may be thus accounted for. That of Gundred, daughter of William the Conqueror, at St. John's church. Southover, is inscribed, and embellished with foliage, heads, and other decorations, but there is no figure of the deceased on it.
When the Crusaders returned from the Holy Land, they endeavoured to introduce into England a taste for the magnificence they had witnessed in foreign countries, and imitations were attempted of the rich foliage and other decorations employed in their architecture. In the west door of Rochester cathedral are sonic figures so applied.
We believe the earliest specimen in England of figures in armour is of the time of Richard I. Those in the Temple church, of Mandeville, earl of Essex, and of two other knights habited, are probably of this date.