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FRENCH SCHOOL. 000000 POUSSIN. 000000 FRENCH MUSEUM.

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THE DEATH OF SAPPHIRA.

Ananias and his wife Sapphira being newly converted to the Christian Faith, wished to display their zeal and charity by selling their possessions to give the amount to the Church: but, instead of delivering the whole price to the apostles, they » kept back a part, and were struck dead as a punishment for the deception.

It is needless repeating what has been said, under no. 451, when speaking of the Death of Ananias, painted by Raphael. Here Poussin seems to have continued the action. The body of Ananias having been removed, his wife, about three hours afterwards, not knowing what had occurred, entered; and Peter said unto her: «Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? » And she said: « Yea, for so much. » Then Peter said unto her : « How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. ». Then she fell down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things.

This picture is thought to have been painted for M. Formont de Venne. Poussin was already advanced in years, as appears from the execution, but the design and composition are snblime the figures of the apostles, particularly that of St. John, appear rather short.

Pesne engraved a highly esteemed print from this picture, which now forms part of the French Museum.

Width, 6 feet 6 inches; height 4 feet.

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SCULPTURE, 00000000000000 LEMOT. eco2060600 000000000* PARIS.

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Lorsqu'on vit au salon de 1810, le dessin de cet immense bas-relief, qui décore le tympan du fronton du milieu de la colonnade du Louvre, le livret portait cette explication : « Il représente les muses, qui, sur l'invitation de Minerve, viennent rendre hommage au souverain, qui a fait achever ce grand édifice. Clio tenant le burin de l'histoire, grave sur le cippe qui porte le buste du héros : NAPOLEON LE GRAND A TERMINÉ LE Louvre. »

Le buste el l'inscription disparurent en 1814; la tête de Napoléon fut remplacée par celle de Louis XIV, et on mit pour inscription LUDOVICO MAGNO. L'idée de l'artiste fut ainsi dénaturée, et si dans la suite des siècles il ne restait plus de traces des changemens ordonnés, la vue de ce bas-relief pourrait donner des idées bien éloignées de la vérité.

Le caractère de cet ouvrage est noble et grand sans aucun mélange de rudesse; il y a beaucoup de richesse dans la composition, dans l'ordonnance; cependant, on ne peut s'empêcher d'être frappé du mauvais effet que produit l'angle supérieur du fronton; la corniche semble posée sur la tête même du héros, dont le buste est présenté à l'admiration des peuples. Les figures sont bien drapées, les parties nues sont d'un grand style, l'ensemble fait honneur au statuaire Le

mot.

Ce bas-relief est en pierre, il fut désigné par le jury des prix décennaux comme ayant mérité le grand prix de sculpture. La seule gravure qu'on en ait faite, est de M. Heina. Larg., 74 pieds; haut., 14 pieds.

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PAYING HOMMAGE TO LEWIS XIV.

When the exhibition of 1810 displayed the design of this immense basso-relievo, which adorns the tympan of the pediment in the middle of the colonnade of the Louvre, the catalogue contained the following explanation : « It represents the Muses, who, invited by Minerva, come to pay hommage to the Sovereign that finished this grand building. Clio, holding the style of history, engraves upon the cippus, supporting the bust of the hero : NAPOLÉON LE GRAND A TERMINE LE LOUVRE; Napoleon the Great finished the Louvre. »

The bust and inscription disappeared in 1814: Napoleon's head made way for that of Lewis XIV, and the inscription LUDOVICO MAGNO was introduced. Thus the artist's idea was distorted, and if in after-ages there should remain no traee of the changes ordered, the appearance of this basso-relievo might give ideas far removed from the truth.

The character of this production is grand and noble without any alloy of harshness: there is great richness in the composition and arrangement; yet the beholder caunot help being struck at the ill-effect produced by the upper angle of the pediment: the cornice seems to rest on the very head of the hero whose bust is offered to the gazing admiration of thousands. The drapery of the figures is well cast, and the naked parts are in a noble style: The whole does credit to the sculptor Lemot.

• This basso-relievo is in marble : it was named by the Jury of the Decennial Prizes as deserving the Grand Sculpture Prize. The only print done from it, is by M. Heina.

Width, 78 feet 8 inches; height, 14 feet 10 inches.

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