Volume II Part 19 (1/2)

_Madame de la Sabliere_. Oval: very clever.

_Madame Deshoulieres_. Similar, in both repects.

_Madame Cornuel_. Oval: a stiff performance.

_Madame la d.u.c.h.esse d'Orleans_. She is represented as Hebe. A pretty picture; but a little too much ”frenchified.”

_Madame de Staal_. Oval. Beautiful and perfect.

_Madame la Marquise de Rambouillet_. A 1646. A most beautiful picture. The head and shoulders are worthy of Vand.y.k.e. The curtain, in the background, is flowered; and perhaps too hard.

_Madame la d.u.c.h.esse de la Valliere, mere du dernier duc de ce nom_. She was the mother of the Duke de la Valliere who had the celebrated library; and died in 1782, within three months of reaching her hundredth year! She was an old woman, but yet very handsome, when this portrait was painted. Her colour is yet tender, and her features are small and regular. The eyes have unusual intelligence, for so protracted a period of life. It is a half length, and I should think by Rigaud. She is sitting in a chair, holding a tea spoon in her right hand, and a tea cup in her left. This may have some allusion, of which I am ignorant. The whole picture is full of nature, and in a fine tone of colour.

The _Duke of Monmouth_. He is sitting: holding a truncheon in his right hand. A helmet and plume are before him. He wears a white sash. This is a dark, but may be called a finely painted, picture. Yet the Duke is not represented as a handsome man.

_Turenne_. By P. de Champagne. Fine.

_Bossuet_. By Rigaud. This is not only considered as the chef-d'oeuvre of Rigaud, but it has been p.r.o.nounced to be the finest portrait ever executed within the last century of the French School.[184] It is a whole length; and is well known to you from the wonderful print of it by Drevet. The representation is worthy of the original; for Bossuet was one of the last of the really great men of France. He had a fine capacity and fine scholars.h.i.+p: and was as adroit in polemics as Richelieu was in politics. He resembled somewhat our Horsley in his pulpit eloquence,--and was almost as pugnacious and overbearing in controversy. He excelled in quickness of perception, strength of argument, and vehemence of invective; yet his sermons are gradually becoming neglected--while those of Fenelon, Ma.s.sillon, and Saurin are constantly resorted to ... for the fine taste, pure feeling, and Christianlike consolation which breathe throughout them.

One thing, in this fine whole length portrait of Bossuet, cannot fail to be noticed by the curious. The head seems to have been separately painted, on a small square piece of canva.s.s, and _let into_ the picture.

There is certainly a _rifacimento_ of some kind or other; which should denote the head to have been twice painted.

_C. Paulin_. By Champagne. Paulin was first confessor to Louis XIV.; and had therefore, I should apprehend, enough upon his hands. This is a fine portrait.

_William III_. Harsh and stiff. It is a performance (as most of those of William seem to be) for the model of a head of a s.h.i.+p.

_Colbert, Eveque de Montpellier_. A fine head.

_Flechier, Eveque de Nismes_. A very fine portrait. The name of the painter does not appear.

A fine half length portrait of a _Marshal of France_, with a truncheon in his hand. Both the hands are beautifully drawn and coloured.

_Marechal duc d'Harcourt_. By Rigaud.

_Eliz. Angelique de Montmorenci, d.u.c.h.esse de Chatillon_. She died in 1695 in her 69th year. This is a fine picture, but injured and retouched. The left hand rests upon a lion's head.

_F. Marie de Bourbon, fille de Madame de Montespan, et femme du Regent_. A stiffish picture; but the countenance is pleasing.

_Madame la d.u.c.h.esse de Nevers, fille de Madame de Thianges, et niece de Madame de Montespan_. A bow is in her right hand, and a dog in her left.

The countenance is beautiful and well painted. The eyes and mouth in particular have great sweetness of expression.

_Duc de Montausier_; in a hat and red feather. By Rigaud.

_Madame la d.u.c.h.esse de Sforce: fille cadette de Madame de Thianges_. A small whole length, sitting: with two greyhounds in her lap, and a third at her side.

_Le Ministre Colbert_. By Mignard. A fine picture.[185]

_Marie Leezinska, femme de Louis XV_. A cleverly painted head.

_Le Cardinal Mazarin_. By P. de Champagne. Whole length. A fine portrait-- which I never contemplate without thinking of the poor unfortunate ”man in an iron mask!”

_Madame de Motteville_. She died in her 74th year, in 1689. This is merely the head and shoulders; but in the Vand.y.k.e style of execution.