1
ANTISTITIS INCOMPARABILIS MICHÆLIS BODETI, DUM VIVERET EPISCOPI
DUCIS LINGONENSIS ET PARIS FRANCIÆ EPICEDIUM.
Below this title, the arms of Michel de Boudet, engraved on wood. At the
end is the Pot Cassé, with this colophon: 'Parisiis anno salutis humanæ
1530.' (Michel de Boudet had died in 1529, with the title of duke and
peer, which the Bishops of Langres had borne since the twelfth century.)
Six quarto leaves [Paris, G. Tory, 1530]. Library of the Faculty of
Medicine of Montpellier, no. 292.
Having had occasion to visit the neighbourhood of Montpellier for reasons
connected with my health, I seized the opportunity to examine this volume
and complete my information concerning it. On the first page, surrounded
by the border of the Colines copies of the Hours of 1524-1525, are these
words: 'Antistitis Incomparabilis Michælis Bodeti dum viveret Episcopi
Ducis Lingonensis et Franciæ Paris Epicedium.' Then the arms of Michel
de Boudet. On the verso: 'Cautum est privilegio, ne quis hoc Epicedium
imprimat aut imprimi curet infra biennium subpöena in diplomate ad hoc
obtento contenta.' The four following leaves contain a poem in honour of
Michel de Boudet; on the sixth is the Pot Cassé, no. 6, and beneath it:
'Parrhisiis, Anno salutis humanæ, M. D. XXX.' There is nothing
to indicate the author of this little work, which is printed in the same
type as the Epitaphs in honour of the mother of François I.[271]
2
APOLOGIE POUR LA FOI CHRESTIENNE CONTRE LES ERREURS CONTENUES EN
UN PETIT LIVRE DE MESSIRE GEORGES HALEVIN.
Paris, G. Tory, 1531. Octavo.
I borrow this description from the 'Catalogue de la Bibliothèque de feu
M. de La Vallière' (vol. i, p. 275), for I have not been able to inspect
this work, which, however, should be in the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal with
M. de La Vallière's other books, and in the library at Sainte-Geneviève,
whither it must have gone with the collection of Le Tellier in whose
catalogue it also appears.
3
HISTOIRE DES EMPEREURS DE TURQUIE, translated from Latin
into French by Barthélemy Dupré. 1532.
I borrow this abridged description from a biography of Tory published
by M. Chevalier de Saint-Amand, honorary librarian of Bourges, in the
'Annonces Berruyères,' no. 38 (September, 21, 1837).[272]
4
LADOLESCENCE CLEMENTINE. AUTREMENT, LES OEUVRES DE CLEMENT MAROT
DE CAHORS EN QUERCY, VALET DE CHAMBRE DU ROY, COMPOSEES EN LEAGE DE
SON ADOLESCENCE.--AVEC LA COMPLAINCTE SUR LE TRESPAS DE FEU MESSIRE
FLORIMOND ROBERTET. ET PLUSIEURS AUTRES OEUVRES FAICTES PAR LEDICT
MAROT DEPUIS LEAGE DE SA DICTE ADOLESCENCE. Le tout reveu,
corrige & mis en bon ordre.--On les vend a Paris, devant Lesglise
Saincte Geneviefve des Ardens, Rue Neufve nostre Dame. A Lenseigne
du Faulcheur.--Avec privilege pour Trois Ans.
At the end: 'The printing of this present book was finished on Monday the
XII day of August. Year M. D. XXXII. For Pierre Roffet,
called le Faulcheur. By maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges, king's printer.
Octavo, 1st edition. Only a single copy is known, now in the Bibliothèque
Nationale. The volume consists, first, of four preliminary leaves (half a
fold), comprising: (1) the title which I have just transcribed; (2) on the
verso, some laudatory verses, among which figures this distich of Tory,
who was not only Marot's printer, but his friend:--
'Vis lauros cypriasque comas, charitesque, iocosque,
Inde sales etiam nosse? Marotus habet';
(3) Clément's letter 'to a large number of brethren,' dated August
12, 1532, that is to say, on the same day that Tory finished printing
the book, and not August 12, 1530, as was erroneously printed in some
subsequent editions, which has given rise to a theory of an earlier
issue[273]; (4) the table of contents; (5) a leaf entirely blank. Then
comes the text of the 'Adolescence Clementine,' extending from folio 1
to folio 104, on which is the word 'finis'; and after that the 'Chant
royal,' etc., from 105 to 115. The book ends with a list of errata on an
unnumbered folio (116). The table of contents, on one of the preliminary
leaves, informs us that one ode had previously been published separately,
but no copy of it is known.
5
_The Same._
A second edition of this book was published by the same bookseller, and
the printing finished by Tory on November 13, 1532. It differs from the
first in this respect, that the text and preliminary leaves are joined,
or, to speak more accurately, the first two of those leaves; for the table
of contents is relegated to the end of the volume, in place of the errata,
which no longer appear. The volume consists of a hundred and nineteen
leaves, the last unnumbered. The word 'finis' still appears on folio
104, after the 'Adolescence Clementine'; then comes the 'Chant royal,'
etc.; and lastly two leaves entitled: 'Autres Œuvres faictes en sa dicte
maladie,' indicated by this phrase on the title-page: 'Plus amples que les
premiers imprimez de ceste, ny autre impression.' (Bibliothèque Mazarine.)
6
_The Same._
A third edition was printed by Tory on February 12, 1532 (1533, new
style), like the preceding in every respect, but having only 118 leaves.
7
_The Same._
A fourth edition appeared June 7, 1533, identical with the preceding,
except that the words on the title-page, 'plus amples,' etc. are replaced
by these: 'Avec certains accens notez, cest assavoir sur le é masculin
different du feminim [_sic_], sur les dictions ioinctes ensembles par
sinalephes, et soubz le ç quant il tient de la prononciation de le s, ce
qui par cy devant par faulte daduis n'a este faict au langaige françoys,
combien q'uil [_sic_] y fust et soit tres necessaire.'
This fourth edition of the 'Adolescence Clementine' was the last work
printed by Tory to my knowledge. In the intervals between these four
editions, however, he had published the works of Clément Marot's father,
edited by Clément himself, under the following title:--
8
IAN MAROT DE CAEN, SUR LES DEUX HEUREUX VOYAGES DE GENES &
VENISE, VICTORIEUSEMENT MYS A FIN, PAR LE TRESCHRESTIEN ROY LOYS
DOUZIESME DE CE NOM, PERE DU PEUPLE. ET VERITABLEMENT ESCRIPTZ
PAR ICELUY IAN MAROT, ALORS POETE ESCRIUAIN DE LA TRESMAGNANIME
ROYNE ANNE, DUCHESSE DE BRETAIGNE, & DEPUYS VALET DE CHAMBRE DU
TRESCHRESTIĒ ROY FRANCOYS PREMIER DU NOM. On les vent a Paris,
deuant Lesglise Saincte Geneuiefue des Ardens, Rue Neufue Nostre
Dame, A Lenseigne du Faulcheur.--Auec priuilege pour Trois Ans.[274]
At the end: 'The printing of this present book was finished the
XXII day of January, M. D. XXXII [1533, new style], for
Pierre Roufet, called Le Faulcheur, by maistre Geufroy Tory de Bourges,
king's printer.'
Octavo of 101 leaves. (Bibliothèque Nationale.)
In this edition there is a letter of Clément Marot mentioning the death of
his father, 'author of this book.'
9
_The Same._
M. Brunet cites a second edition of this book, executed by Tory for the
same bookseller in 1533.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 271: [This paragraph was added by the author after his second
edition had gone through the press.]]
[Footnote 272: In his _Peintre-graveur français_, M. Robert-Dumesnil
mentions an edition of this book with the date 1538, Paris, G. Tory; which
is impossible, as Tory died in 1533.]
[Footnote 273: See M. Brunet's _Manuel de Libraire_, 5th edit. vol. iii,
col. 144.]
[Footnote 274: There is a copy in the Bibliothèque Nationale, to which is
added: _La suite de l'Adolescence clémentine_, with 3 preliminary leaves
and 126 of text, on the last of which is the mark of Pierre Roffet, signed
with the Lorraine cross [see page 137, supra]; but not printed by Tory,
for the book was printed for the widow of Roffet, and the latter did not
die, it is supposed, until 1537, after Tory's death.]
[Illustration: PART III.
ICONOGRAPHY.
[Illustration] ]
HRECVLES
GALLICVS
[Illustration]
LE
HERCVLES
FRANÇOIS.
PART III. ICONOGRAPHY.
As I have hitherto called attention to the books that we owe to Tory
whether as publisher, as author, or as printer and bookseller, so it
will be well to notice those which he enriched with his paintings and
engravings during twenty years of his life. This is a new aspect of his
whole career which it is our present purpose to bring into view; for,
while Tory was for some time teacher, bookseller, printer, he was always a
draughtsman and engraver, from the day that he was a man grown.
But, first of all, there is a preliminary question to be decided: Was
Tory really a painter and engraver? In the first part of this book I
said that he was, but I did not furnish proofs of the fact, and none of
the historians of painting or of engraving have mentioned him in that
connection. It is advisable therefore, first of all, to demonstrate the
accuracy of my assertion. In order to solve this complicated question more
easily, let us divide it.
Was Tory a painter?
That Tory was a painter-draughtsman, there can be no doubt, for he himself
makes the assertion in express terms on each page of 'Champ fleury.' For
instance, we read on folio 3 verso of that work, apropos of the Gallic
Hercules:--
'I saw this same fable in rich painting within the city of Rome near the
Sanguine tower, not far from the Church of Saint Louis, ... and the better
to keep the thing in my eye, I made this drawing....'
In the collection of verses written by him on the occasion of the death of
his daughter Agnes, Tory makes her speak thus from the urn wherein she is
supposed to repose:--
MONITOR.
Who made for you this urn, set with brilliant gems?
AGNES.
Who? My father; famed in this art.
MONITOR.
Certes, your father is an excellent potter.
AGNES.
He practises industriously every day the liberal arts.
Thus Geofroy Tory himself informs us in 1523 that he industriously
practised the arts. Now, if this were true, he could not have been
ignorant of drawing, which is the first of all the arts. Moreover, it
is plain that in those days an engraver (and we shall prove in a moment
that Tory was one) could not fail to be a draughtsman. The artist was
at that time an all-round workman, embracing all the special branches
of his profession: painting, drawing, engraving, he took a hand at them
all. Not until it became vulgarized, until it became a trade, was art
subdivided--and greatly to its prejudice. In truth, one cannot but realize
all that there is to be desired in the work of those mercenaries of the
engraver's art, who, having no knowledge of the first elements of drawing,
are bidden to reproduce, with the aid of the graving tool, lines which
they do not understand.
We can therefore assert that, as a general rule, the engravings found in
Tory's books were drawn by him.
But this is not all: I believe that we should also attribute to him the
admirable miniatures[275] that have come down to us of the painter known
by the name of 'Godefroy.' If, indeed, we compare the engravings in Tory's
books with the designs of that painter, we readily recognize a similarity
of execution which seems to establish the identity of the two men. This
Godefroy, who signs his works sometimes with the full name, sometimes with
a simple G, but always in roman letters,--a noteworthy thing at a time
when the gothic was in its most flourishing state,--was no other than
Tory, whose baptismal name, as we have seen, was in Latin Godofredus.
We know how little was thought of family names in the old days. As
late as the sixteenth century it was no uncommon thing to see persons
designated by their baptismal names alone, or, at most, with the name of
their native place added. We have seen[276] that the famous painter Jean
Perreal, Tory's master and friend, was little known except by the name of
Jean de Paris. Tory himself is called Godefroy the Berrichon (Godofredus
Biturix) in some verses which his friend Gérard de Vercel composed in his
praise in 1512.[277] Even at the close of the sixteenth century our two
leading bibliographers, Antoine du Verdier and La Croix du Maine, who
also bore geographical names, deemed it proper to adopt no other order
than that of baptismal names in arranging alphabetically the authors who
are mentioned in their books entitled 'Bibliothèque Françoise.' There is
nothing extraordinary therefore in Tory's signing his first works with a
baptismal name alone. It is true that that name is slightly different,
orthographically speaking, from the one that he used later; but it is well
to remember the change that took place about that time in our author's
customs. Doubtless he signed 'Godefroy' before he had entirely shaken off
the yoke of the classical languages,[278] and had adopted the more French
form 'Geofroy,' which was about the year 1523.
The dates inscribed upon some of Godefroy's paintings, 1519 and 1520,
coincide perfectly with the known facts of Tory's life: that was the
period when, after his second return from Italy, he was fain to utilize
his talents for his livelihood. I may add that we have several engravings
of that same period signed with a G alone, or with a G within which
appears a small F; others signed with a G surmounted by the
double cross, with a small S within; and others signed G. T.,
which serve to mark the transition between Tory's use of the simple G and
the inscription in full of his two names, Geofroy Tory. These two names
appear together in one of the borders of his Hours of 1524-1525 [the
border which is to be found on p. 105].
Whatever the fact may be, we propose to give here, by way of memorandum,
at least a brief list of the works of the painter Godefroy, referring the
reader for fuller information to the interesting article which M. Léon de
Laborde has published upon this subject in the 'Renaissance des Arts,'
vol. i. pp. 891-913, and, later, in the 'Revue Universelle des Arts,' no.
1 (1855), which article we reproduce below with the author's consent.
The only manuscripts known to contain drawings of this artist are 'Les
Commentaires de César,' in three small quarto volumes; and 'Les Triomphes
de Petrarque,' in one small octavo volume--all written in French and bound
in vellum.
The first-named work is not, as one might suppose from its title, a
translation of the famous work of the conqueror of Gaul, but a commentary
thereon in the form of a dialogue between Cæsar and François I, to whom
the book is dedicated. The first volume is now in the British Museum at
London, the second in the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris, and the third
in the collection of M. le Duc d'Aumale. All the miniatures in the first
volume, and there is a great number of them, are signed with a G; some
bear the date 1519. The same is true of the second volume. One of the
miniatures in the third volume is signed in full, 'Godefroy' (folio 52);
several others, signed G only, are dated 1520.
As for the 'Triumphs' of Petrarch, which is in the Bibliothèque de
l'Arsenal, the miniatures bear no dates, but they are all signed with a
G, and one has in addition the full name, 'Godefroy.' In the two works
the drawings have the same general appearance; they are distinguished
from those of the professional miniaturists by a very marked sobriety
of colouring. They are noticeable, moreover, by reason of a delicacy
of execution and, at the same time, a sharpness of outline which can
have come from no other hand than that of an engraver; now the engraver
can have been no other than Tory, whose shields and even his antique
arabesques we find in these designs.
In addition to these two works, of which the name and the _style_ of the
artist seem to me to permit their being attributed to Tory, I will mention
here several others, of a somewhat later date, which likewise various
circumstances make it possible to attribute to him.
The first is a translation of the first three books of Diodorus Siculus,
by Antoine Macault. This superb manuscript, which was in the library of
M. Firmin Didot _père_ in 1810, is to-day buried in one of the private
libraries of England. A description will be found on pp. 166-168. It is
true that there is nothing about it to suggest Tory, but the style of the
painting and of the engraving (the book was printed by Tory's widow in
1535) leaves no doubt as to his authorship. The second is a collection of
portraits of the kings of France, by Jean du Tillet, the manuscript of
which, presented by the author to Charles IX, is still preserved in the
Bibliothèque du Roi. See the description of this priceless manuscript, and
of several others preserved in the same collection.[279]
We come now to the second question:--Was Tory an engraver?
Neither Zani nor Papillon mentions him as such; nevertheless, there is
one presumption in his favour. La Croix du Maine, who was almost his
contemporary, tells us[280], without going into details, it is true,
that Tory was known by the name 'maître au Pot Cassé'; others have said
that he perfected Josse Bade's letters.[281] M. Renouvier has recently
written[282] that Tory possessed the rare faculty of using the 'eschoppe'
[graver] as well as the pen. 'Le Champ fleury,' he says, 'is a treatise
on æsthetics such as none but an engraver of types could conceive.' What
M. Renouvier conjectured, I assert, with no fear of being contradicted
by the facts. To be sure, Tory did not anywhere state categorically that
he was an engraver; but he gave it to be understood indirectly. For
example, he tells us that, among the fancies that came to his mind on the
6th of January, 1523, and resulted in the composition of 'Champ fleury,'
he remembered 'a letter of ancient form,' which he had 'not long since
made for the house of my lord the treasurer of the wars, maistre Jehan
Groslier, counsellor and secretary to the king our sire.'[283] What was
this ancient letter made for the famous bibliophile Grolier, if not the
basis of the beautiful roman characters which were used in that scholar's
establishment to decorate his books, and to stamp upon them, in gold, this
excellent device, among others, 'Ioannis Grolierii et Amicorum?'[284]
Again, all the authorities agree that Claude Garamond was a pupil of
Tory. Now, what could he have learned from his master, if not the art of
engraving types,--he who did nothing else in his whole life?
Furthermore, it is impossible to doubt that Tory engraved types when one
runs through his 'Champ fleury.' Note especially what he says on folio 34
recto, where, having given a drawing of a capital A reversed, he explains
it in the technical terms of the engraver.
'This,' he says, 'is done to help and give hints to goldsmiths and
engravers, who, with their burin, graver, or other tool, engrave and cut
an ancient letter reversed [à l'envers], or, as we say, to the left, so
that it may appear to the right when it is printed and placed in its
proper aspect. I have purposely made it white, and its background black,
the opposite of the one that is drawn to the right, so that no one may
be misled. For, as I have said, I have seen and do see many persons who
are misled. Before the letter to be printed is finished, it is made twice
reversed and twice to the right. In the first of the reversed there are
the punches[285] of steel, in which the letter is wholly left-handed. The
matrices have the letter to the right. The letter then cast is, as I have
said of the punches, left-handed. Then finally on the printed paper the
whole appears to the right, and in its proper aspect to be read currently.
I had forgotten to say that the broad leg of the A is one tenth of its
square in width, and the other leg one third as wide. The transverse limb
should be three fourths as wide as the broad leg, as you may see by the
drawings herewith made and duly proportioned.'
After this, and knowing as we do the relations between Geofroy Tory and
the Estienne family, it will not be deemed extraordinary that I attribute
to our artist the italic letters of Simon de Colines, engraved about 1525,
and the roman and italic letters of Robert Estienne, engraved a little
later.
But Tory not only engraved letters, that is to say, punches on steel,
as some authors have stated: he signalized himself above all by his
engravings on wood, and he illustrated almost all the books of his time,
which fact is almost wholly unknown. I shall be asked, doubtless, upon
what evidence my opinion is based. It is this: In the license to print
the book of Hours, granted to Tory by François I on September 23, 1524,
we read:[286] 'Our dear and well-beloved maistre Geofroy Tory ... hath
now caused it to be made known and shown unto us that _he hath of late
made_ and caused to be made certain pictures and vignettes "à l'antique,"
and likewise certain others, "à la moderne," to the end that the same may
be printed and made use of in divers books of Hours, whereupon he hath
employed himself a very long time, and hath made divers great expenditures
and outlays.' Evidently the words 'he hath made' do not here apply to the
drawing, but to the engraving of these pictures and vignettes, which he
had previously drawn. Moreover, Tory himself betrayed his profession of
engraver on wood in a charming vignette which he used as an initial in
'Champ fleury,' and which is reproduced on page 1. For we see therein,
besides a compass, a square, etc., a pen and several varieties of knives
used in wood-engraving; all of which justifies the remark of M. Renouvier:
'Tory possessed the rare faculty of using the graver as well as the pen.'
But, I shall be told, it avails nothing to prove vaguely that Tory
dabbled in wood-engraving, if we can point to no works of his in that
branch of the art,--for no one has done so hitherto. I propose to try to
gratify the reader's desire, by proving that there is a way to recognize
the engravings executed by Tory.
Many persons have already observed that the principal engravings in
Tory's books, those which are most individual, as, for example, the
Gallic Hercules (reproduced on page 141), and that of the Pot Cassé which
accompanies the description of that emblem in 'Champ fleury' (reproduced
on page 21) bear a mark; but this mark they dare not attribute to him,
because it is constantly found upon engravings, alone or accompanied by
initials, for more than a century. M. Robert-Dumesnil, in his interesting
work entitled 'Le Peintre-Graveur français,' published in the course of
his article on Woeiriot,[287] who himself used this same mark, a catalogue
of engravings signed with the double cross,--which he calls the cross of
Lorraine or of Jerusalem,--extending from 1522 to 1632. He concludes that
this mark was 'frequently employed in France, as a fictitious signature,
on engravings on wood, by artists whose names will probably remain forever
buried in oblivion.'
To banish this phantom, which caused M. Renouvier himself to pause on the
pathway of truth,[288] it is sufficient to come to close quarters with it.
This is what I propose to do; but first I must thank M. Robert-Dumesnil
for having satisfactorily cleared up one important point. Until his book
appeared, almost all the engravings marked with the double cross had been
attributed to Woeiriot; or, rather, the engravings of the latter had
added to the perplexity of classifiers. By identifying Woeiriot's work,
M. Robert-Dumesnil has simplified the problem considerably. Only a small
number of pieces remain to be ascribed to their authors, and as to these
M. Robert-Dumesnil expresses himself thus: 'None of the works executed
prior to Woeiriot's birth and the beginning of his career as an artist can
be by him; of the others we hasten to say that not one seems to us to have
been designed or executed by him.'
Nothing could be clearer. Let us add, to close the discussion, that
Woeiriot did not begin to engrave until long after Tory had ceased, as he
was barely two years old when Tory died; and, furthermore, that his cross
is almost always accompanied by his initials; sometimes, however, he uses
the cross alone, but in that case the date prevents confusion. Take, for
example, the 'Emblesmes et devises chrestiennes composées par damoiselle
Georgette de Montenay,' the first edition of which was in 1571. It is
impossible to attribute these engravings to Tory, who died nearly forty
years earlier.
The other artists who used the cross may be divided into three classes,
according to M. Robert-Dumesnil's book. First, we find the cross alone,
from 1522 to 1561; secondly, after a long interval, in 1599, the cross
appears accompanied by the initials I, L, B; and, lastly, a little later,
two engravers on copper, named Jean Barra and Claude Rivard, signed their
works with the cross. I do not include here the double cross discovered by
M. Robert-Dumesnil on the printer's mark of a book dated 1632, because it
is the mark of Gilles Corrozet, engraved a century earlier, as we shall
see further on.
To sum up, then, there are no anonymous works bearing the cross except
those produced between 1522 and 1561. The only question is whether the
engravings executed between those dates, which bear the cross without
initials, belong to one or to several artists.
I will, first of all, call attention to the fact that this interval
embraces only forty years, and that there is no reason to attribute to
several contemporaneous and anonymous artists a very peculiar mark which
a single artist might have used during an even longer time. But this is
not all: this interval can be reduced by several years; for the examples
alleged to be subsequent to 1557, mentioned by M. Robert-Dumesnil, bear
no date; they appear, it is true, in books printed after that year, but
they were engraved earlier, as I shall prove in due time. Blocks are not
ephemeral objects; like type, they can be used indefinitely, and their use
at a certain date does not prove that they had been made within a short
time. We have just cited one--Gilles Corrozet's mark--which, simply by
lack of use, it was possible to reproduce in books for more than a century.
What surprises me is not that M. Robert-Dumesnil has seen engravings with
the cross printed in 1561, but that he has found none of a later date,
which would have allowed him to fill up the gap that he has left between
the anonymous artist of the cross alone and him who accompanied it with
the letters I, L, B; he might have discovered the beautiful illustration
of the Missal of 1539, which is described hereafter, in books of the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Indeed, we find wood engravings of
the sixteenth century, bearing the double cross, in a book published at
Troyes in 1850!
On the other hand, I am surprised that M. Robert-Dumesnil found no
engravings with the cross, accompanied by initials, of a date much
earlier than 1599, for I myself have seen some that were contemporaneous
with Tory. In fact, the Bibliothèque Nationale possesses a book of Hours
according to the use of Paris, printed in that city in 1548, by Jean de
Brye's widow, in which all the engravings are marked with the cross and
the initials L, R. It is an octavo volume, printed in gothic type, and
in red and black. An interesting fact to be noted here is that these
engravings are improved copies of other unsigned engravings belonging
to the printer Thielman Kerver,[289] and printed in a large number of
books issued by him or his widow, Iolande Bonhomme, at least as early as
1522,[290] and still to be seen in the Paris Missal, published by his
son Jacques in 1559. I have seen also engravings of the artist with the
initials I, L, B (cited by M. Robert-Dumesnil under the date of 1599), in
a book of 1547.
These facts do not tend to contradict my proposition; they prove that Tory
founded a school, and that his pupils adopted his mark (which is nothing
more than his initial, or, rather, his toret, transferred from the Pot
Cassé, of which it was the essential feature, to his engravings), adding
thereto their initials, to distinguish themselves from the master whose
ensign they hoisted, and to preserve their own individuality. I shall
recur to this subject later.
The principal reason which prevented M. Renouvier from attributing to
Tory, as he was naturally inclined to do, the engravings marked with
the double cross alone, was the impossibility, in his judgement, of
attributing them all to the same artist. 'M. Robert-Dumesnil,' he says,
'has noted a large number of books of 1522 to 1599, on the title-pages
and plates of which the cross of Lorraine is found. This list might be
increased, and the items should be carefully compared by whoever would
try to find on them the mark of a wood-engraving establishment, or of
several engravers on wood who worked for the booksellers Pierre Gaudoul,
Simon de Colines, Robert Estienne, Grouleau, Gilles Corrozet, Vincent
Sertenas,[291] etc.'
I have already answered the objection based upon M. Robert-Dumesnil's
book, which he himself has abandoned with great pleasure, taking a deep
interest in my discovery.[292] As for what M. Renouvier adds, it does not
run counter to my suggestion, for I have already mentioned that, after
Tory's death, his widow carried on his engraving establishment for several
years, retaining the same mark. This, doubtless, is the explanation of the
differences to be noticed in the works signed with the Lorraine cross;
for Perrette le Hullin, not being an engraver herself, must have employed
different workmen.
This leads me to answer an objection that has been made to my theory. My
attention has been called to the fact that the Lorraine cross appears on
works anterior to Tory,--such, for example, as the mark of Gauthier Lud,
the first printer of Saint-Dié in Lorraine. I have no purpose to claim the
Lorraine cross for Tory alone. He was not its inventor, nor did it die
with him; but there is a distinction to be made between an emblem employed
in a general way, and one employed as the special mark of an artist. Not
only do I not claim for Tory the Lorraine cross surmounting a circle,
which appears on the mark of the Lorraine printer, Gauthier Lud,[293] in
1507, but I exclude the Lorraine cross surmounting a large gothic G, found
on the title-page of a folio Missal according to the use of the church of
Toul, printed at Paris by Wolfgang Hopyl, in 1508.[294] To my mind nothing
could be more natural than that the Lorraine cross should be used in
Lorraine; but that does not prove that an artist at Bourges may not have
adopted it as the mark of his establishment.
I mention hereafter as one of Tory's first engravings on wood the
title-page of a book printed at Meaux in 1522, and I then say that the
preface of that book was dated 'Meldis, anno M. D. XXI.'[295]
M. Brunet makes me say,[296] I cannot imagine why, 'Metis' instead of
'Meldis'; and M. Didot, misled by that statement, says that the book in
question was published at Metz,[297] which fact seems to him to explain
the presence of the Lorraine cross on the title. This shows how an error
may be appealed to in support of a theory.
Not only have I not exaggerated the part played by my hero, as authors are
somewhat in the habit of doing,--on the contrary, I have restricted it as
much as possible. Since the publication of my first edition, an attempt
has been made to prove Tory to be the maker, or, at least, the decorator,
of the beautiful Henri II porcelains, so-called, the subject of a recent
publication of MM. Delange, father and son. M. Didot himself adopted this
opinion,[298] which is based upon a vague similarity, but is completely
refuted by the date of Tory's death. So far as I am concerned, appearances
are of no consequence, unless they are accompanied by some substantial
evidence; and that is why I have excluded from the list of Tory's works
some engravings that Messrs. Renouvier and Didot do not hesitate to
attribute to him because of certain similarities, but which do not bear
his mark. It is that mark which has served me as a guide in identifying
Tory's work. The objection is made, to be sure, that this plan requires
the attribution to Tory of engravings of very dissimilar styles. Every
plan has its disadvantages; but, all things considered, I prefer one that
has something to stand upon to one that has nothing. Moreover, it is easy
to explain the different styles of the artist of the Lorraine cross by
referring to what has often taken place in the careers of other artists.
In truth, how many painters have we seen change their style of painting
at a certain period of their lives! But there is an even simpler way of
explaining these dissimilarities in different engravings, namely, by
admitting with me that the Lorraine cross was the mark of Tory's workshop,
but that in that workshop there were other artists of very diverse
abilities. In the same way, we see to-day a multitude of engravings signed
'Andrew,' 'Best,' 'Leloir,' to which those artists certainly never put
their hands.
But let us have done with argument and come to the facts: they will prove
more conclusively than any number of dissertations the truth of our
statement concerning Tory; they will prove, in fact, that all the works
signed by the cross alone were engraved during that artist's lifetime, or
in the establishment which he founded and which his widow retained until
about 1556.
To make the demonstration clearer, I will divide what I still have to
say into three sections. In the first I will include all the manuscripts
the decoration of which can be attributed to Tory; in the second I will
describe all the engravings marked with the Lorraine cross that are known
to me, arranging them in chronological order; and in the third I will
mention such marks of printer-booksellers bearing the aforesaid cross, as
I have been able to discover. As it is impossible for me to follow the
chronological order in this last category, I have adopted the alphabetical
order, which will enable one to find at once such of these marks as are
mentioned in the second section.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 275: [It should be borne in mind that the word _miniature_ as
used in this book has not its ordinary present-day signification; it means
here any ornamented or coloured design of small dimensions.]]
[Footnote 276: [See supra, p. 23, and note 1.]]
[Footnote 277: [See supra, p. 71.]]
[Footnote 278: [See supra, p. 9.]]
[Footnote 279: Infra, pp. 169-171.]
[Footnote 280: _Bibliothèque françoise_, article 'Geufroy Tory.' The
author of _Recueil T_ (vol. xix, p. 20) of the _Mélanges tirés d'une
grande bibliothèque_, published by M. de Paulmy, also says that Tory was
an excellent engraver, the _maître au Pot Cassé_.]
[Footnote 281: Lottin, _Catalogue des libraires_, vol. ii, p. 234.]
[Footnote 282: _Des Types et des manières des maîtres graveurs_, etc.,
xviᵉ siècle, p. 165.]
[Footnote 283: _Champ fleury_, fol. 1. See also supra, p. 12.]
[Footnote 284: ['Jean Grolier's and his friends'.'] The ordinary motto of
Grolier's books is: _Portio mea, Domine, sit in terra viventium._ [May my
lot be cast, O Lord, in the land of the living.]]
[Footnote 285: [_Poinçons_: that is to say, the engraved model of a type,
on the end of a steel bar.]]
[Footnote 286: [See p. 106, supra.]]
[Footnote 287: Vol. vii, pp. 48 ff.]
[Footnote 288: [On this subject M. Renouvier says (_Des Types et des
Manières des Maîtres Graveurs_, xviᵉ _siècle_, 1854, p. 167): 'We
cannot attribute it [the double cross] to Geoffroy Tory exclusively, for
we find it on many woodcuts which cannot be his.']]
[Footnote 289: This should cause no surprise: the idea of _property_, in
respect to artistic productions, is altogether modern. The first engravers
signed almost nothing; it was not until the sixteenth century that they
marked their works with special emblems, and even then it was not so much
with the object of assuring themselves a monopoly in them, as with that
of making themselves known to persons who might require their services
for other works. Little by little this species of advertisement became an
effective muniment of title,--in the natural order of things. It was the
same with works of the mind. Not until quite a late period were scholars
and other men of letters able to derive any profit from their works. In
the early days of printing, even, a printer who proposed to reprint a
book did not consider himself bound to obtain the author's consent. From
the moment that he made his book public, it was regarded as a treasure
belonging to society at large.]
[Footnote 290: Hours in quarto in the Bibliothèque Nationale (Brunet,
_Manuel de Libraire_, 5th ed. vol. v, col. 1623, no. 197). There is also
an edition of 1525 (ibid., no. 198), and one much later, but lacking the
first and last leaves. M. Silvestre owns an octavo edition of 1530.]
[Footnote 291: _Des Types_, etc., xviᵉ siecle, p. 167, note.]
[Footnote 292: MM. A. Devéria, Robert-Dumesnil, and J. Renouvier have all
died since the first edition of this book.]
[Footnote 293: See Brunet, _Manuel de Libraire_, 5th edition, article
_Cosmographia_.]
[Footnote 294: Beaupré, _Notice bibliographique sur les livres liturgiques
des diocèses de Toul et de Verdun_, 8vo, 1843, p. 16.]
[Footnote 295: Infra, § 2; 1521-1522 (p. 175).]
[Footnote 296: _Manuel_, etc., 5th edition, vol. ii, col. 1186.]
[Footnote 297: _Essai sur la gravure sur bois_, col. 147 and 150.]
[Footnote 298: _Essai sur la gravure sur bois_, col. 138.]
SECTION I. MANUSCRIPTS DECORATED WITH MINIATURES BY TORY.
1. COMMENTAIRES DE CÉSAR.
2. TRIOMPHES DE PÉTRARQUE.
For a description of these two manuscripts[299] I cannot do better than
transcribe in this place the interesting work of Comte Léon de Laborde.
I print this work just as it was published several years ago, having no
authority to modify it. But I think that I may venture to say that if
it had been prepared since the publication of my book on Tory, it would
contain a judgement in his favour. That seems to me to be the result of
my conversations with M. de Laborde. My friend M. Jules Renouvier, whose
death is so deeply to be deplored, and in whose company I examined the
volume of the 'Commentaires' in the Bibliothèque Nationale, was entirely
of my opinion. He spoke of the manuscript in question in these terms in a
critical review of the first edition of my book on Tory, printed in the
'Revue Universelle des Arts' for September, 1857 (vol. v, no. 6, p. 511):--
'The point that we knew least about was Tory's début in the career of an
artist. It was most brilliant if we agree with M. Bernard that he was
the author of the miniatures found in two well-known manuscripts, the
"Commentaires de César" in three volumes and the "Triomphes de Pétrarque,"
in which we find the signatures "G," and "Godefroy," and the dates 1519
and 1520. M. de Laborde has recently described them with all the care that
they deserve, without discovering who this Godefroy was. He was no other
than Geofroy Tory, says M. Bernard, and this opinion is plausible; for, if
the subsequent work of the engraver on wood does not fulfil the promise
of the miniaturist, the drawing is governed by identical characteristics,
and the similarity of style is striking, especially when we consider
the engravings that are nearest in point of time, as those of "Champ
fleury," dated 1526. Considered from this point of view, Geofroy Tory is
the most precocious of the artists of the Renaissance: before the masters
of Fontainebleau, he introduced the stately, graceful and individualized
figures, which aroused enthusiasm in the time of François I, to which
Italy lent much of her style, and Germany a little of her force, but which
were more thoroughly French than is generally admitted. It is well known,
moreover, that these miniatures were originally, even in the "camaieu"
process, heightened in effect by chatoyant tones, with subtleties of
drawing which denote a hand more apt to handle the pencil than the brush,
and altogether adapted to the tools of the engraver. The draughtsman loses
a part of his distinction in passing from a privileged to a commonplace
form of art; but so the progress of art willed.'
The work of M. Léon de Laborde follows:--
GODEFROY, PAINTER TO FRANÇOIS I.
Godefroy has left us, in four small volumes,--the first three entitled
'Commentaires de César,' the fourth 'Triomphes de Pétrarque'--the proof of
a fruitful imagination, of a talent in portrait-painting no less flexible
than varied, and of a superiority original with himself, and thoroughly
French,--a very unusual combination of the qualities peculiar to our
school prior to the formation of the school of Fontainebleau, and of the
qualities--or, to speak more accurately, the defects--which that colony of
foreign artists was soon to introduce in our midst.
These four volumes, after divers vicissitudes, repose at last, at the end
of their journeyings and safe from the risk of destruction, the first in
the British Museum at London, the second in the Bibliothèque Nationale
at Paris, the third in the collection of H. R. H. the Duc d'Aumale, and
the fourth in the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal. I will describe first the
'Commentaires de César,' a beautiful manuscript, the three volumes of
which I have had before me one by one. There are in this work three things
worthy of remark, to which I shall direct the reader's attention for a
brief space. First, the composition of the work; second, the painting of
the decorations; and lastly, the portraits.
The author, a native of Flanders or Artois, transplanted to the Court
of France, displays no overplus of wit or imagination. He supposes that
King François I, in one of his excursions, or while hunting, meets
Julius Cæsar, and that they converse. The subject of their dialogue is
the Gallic war; it is a sort of commentary on Cæsar's Commentaries, with
transparent allusions to the events of the reign of François I. It
is in these allusions that we detect the author's predilection for the
Belgæ,[300] with whose country he is familiar, and particularly for the
city of Tournay,[301] which may well have been his native place. I do
not propose to draw any inference from his hatred of the English[302];
although more violent in our northern provinces than elsewhere, that
sentiment was then universal in France. It would seem, at least so far as
the implements of war are concerned, that the painter who was employed to
embellish the manuscript worked under the author's direction. We find in
several places remarks like this: 'The tower is sufficiently described by
the engines that I have caused to be drawn herein.'
For the rest, we feel that we have to do with a conscientious author;
and simply by the extracts which follow, we may recognize the man who is
uncertain and hesitates, the student who leaves every one in possession of
his rights and who confides his doubts to the reader. On the eighth leaf
of volume two he has instructed Godefroy, the painter, to reproduce an
antique medallion; he writes in the margin: 'I fear that it is not that
Cassius who was a conspirator in the death of Cæsar, for his name was
Caius Cassius, and I find on the medallion Quintus Cassius.' As to one of
the pictures of machines of war he makes this comment: 'Certain pictures
of implements of war, as they are portrayed by Frère Jocunde in book x
of Vitruvius.' Beside another, he says: 'I am not the inventor of the
machines which follow, for I found them in a book that I secured long ago
at Chastellerault, at the Lyon d'or.'
To this curious piece of information let us add another,[303] which tells
us that the author of the book was in relations with an artist of Blois,
a clock-maker and inventive genius: 'The two pictures that follow [two
warlike machines] were taken from a book that Julian, clock-maker at
Bloys, gave me.--Julian is a man of great wit and knows many things.'
A passage on folio xxii verso of the second volume seems to prove that the
manuscript was written during the years 1519 and 1520: 'By the map [a map
of Gaul] placed at the beginning of the translation of the first book made
at Saint Germain en Laye in the month of April in the year one thousand
five hundred nineteen, you will see clearly who the Belgæ are.'
After the author, it is proper to speak of the calligrapher who wrote
the manuscript; but there is nothing to be said save that it is in a
fair hand. The painter Godefroy deserves more consideration and careful
attention. Let us not forgot that we are dealing with a perfectly
well-fixed time, limited to the years 1519 and 1520; let us, at the same
time, recall the great national movement in art in France from 1450 to
1500, the Italian campaigns, the arrival of artists and objects of art
from Italy during the reigns of Charles VIII and Louis XII, and lastly,
and above all, the sojourn in France of the two great Italian masters,
Leonardo da Vinci and Andrea del Sarto, from 1515 to 1518. Born and
trained amid such influences, a French painter undertakes to decorate a
manuscript for King François I. What does he do to satisfy the prevailing
taste, the fashion, without denying his past? He divides his talent into
two parts,[304] and devotes one, the French part, to the portraits, the
other, the Italian imitation, to the decorations; in both he gives proof
of abundant talent. In the one case, an exact, shrewd observer, he paints
faces by faithfully reproducing their individual traits; in the other,
fertile, never the same, abounding in resources in the ensemble and the
details of his compositions, he is the pupil of Leonardo da Vinci, with
suggestions of Mantegna and the artists of the first Italian Renaissance
in the proportion of the figures, in the ungracefulness of the attitudes,
and in the types of the heads.
From this period, from these influences, and not from Primaticcio, who
was himself subjected to them, dates the Fontainebleau school. It was
adapted to the figure and the type of beauty of Diana de Poitiers; she
encouraged it; but, I say again, it was formed, it was current, before
the reign of the mistress of Henri II and before the painter who is its
most characteristic expression. If we seek to discover what method of
execution was adopted by Godefroy, we see that his portraits are charming
miniatures, comparable with the finest examples that we have of French
miniature-painting; as for the drawings,[305] there are some that are
almost grisailles, almost coloured--a mongrel and conventional scheme,
of very doubtful taste. The painter drew his whole subject with the pen,
with a sureness of touch which, it must be said, has no parallel in such
microscopical dimensions, especially with respect to the faces and the
landscapes; then he laid in the general outline, with the brush and
with sepia, in flat tones, rather lacking in life. Thus far he did not
depart from the canons of art; but he added coloured costumes, suits of
armour, gilded trappings, and a multitude of details which flutter about
in his grisaille and depart from nature in a most extraordinary way. I
have said that his figures are reminiscences of Italian works. We find
among them Donatellesque forms, profiles perdus, and bold gestures that
recall Mantegna, Perugino-like graceful attitudes and ways of carrying
the head, and, in spite of everything, a French background, and points
of resemblance to Holbein, which might be taken to signify that Godefroy
had never seen Italy. Our national Renaissance had made such progress
in nearly a century that our artists needed only a few drawings, a few
engravings, with the impulsion given by Leonardo da Vinci and Andrea del
Sarto, to enter that Italian current. It may be that our compatriot,
like Holbein, was subjected to this influence from afar, at second hand,
without having crossed the mountains.
_First volume._[306]--The book opens with a map of Gaul, and we read
on the verso of the first leaf the following passage, written within
a cartouche: 'Françoys, by the grace of God, King of France, a second
Cæsar, vanquisher and subduer of the Souycez [Swiss], on the last day
of April, one month after the birth of his second son, in his park of
Sainct-Germain-en-Laye, fell in with Julius Cæsar and questioned him
shrewdly concerning the contents of the first book of the Commentaries.'
In another cartouche is a passage of which we need transcribe no more
than the first words: 'Cæsar, first subjugator of the Helvecez [Helvetii,
Swiss], graciously made reply to him,' etc.
On the third leaf Godefroy has painted the portrait of François I, head
and shoulders alone, in a medallion. He wears his usual costume and the
cap, without a feather, adorned with a banner. His features and his whole
countenance are idealized--they are a little stiff and sharp; the artist
has sought to produce an ideal antique head. The first miniature, on
the verso of the fifth leaf, bears the date 1519, with no monogram; the
others--folios 9, 13, 17, 21, 23, 31, 33, 36, 43, 53, 60, and so on to
the end--are signed with a G, and dated the same year. On the miniature
painted on the recto of folio 53, the initial of the artist's name is
traced on the trunk of a tree from which hangs a small cartouche with the
words, 'Besanson, 1519.' To be sure, the corresponding passage in the text
requires that the miniature in question should represent that venerable
city, but a certain precision in the details, and a sort of predilection
manifested in the care bestowed upon the execution, lead me to believe
that the view was painted after nature, and that Godefroy was attached to
that city by some bond.
I have already spoken of the special characteristics of these miniatures,
and I will mention here only the one on folio 23, which represents the
building of a bridge over the Saône. In the foreground we see figures
reminiscent of the painter Mantegna in their activity, their vigour, and
a certain almost antique grace. The artist has retained the long pointed
shoes to mark the Frenchman; this is an ill-timed display of archæological
learning.
The volume, a large octavo, shaped like a notebook, contains 76 leaves,
including the map. It is in its original binding of red morocco, with
ornaments of wreaths of fleurs-de-lis, stamped with small tools. One can
see the marks of the ribbons which were used to close it and to keep the
vellum from puckering. On the recto of the first leaf, below the map of
Gaul, are the words: 'Bibliothecæ Christophori Justelli.' This note,
while it establishes the antiquity of the manuscript, also explains its
emigration to England. Christophe Justel, Councillor and Secretary to the
King, died at Paris in 1649, at the age of seventy, leaving to his son,
together with the taste for study, a valuable collection of books and
manuscripts. Among the latter was this first volume of the 'Commentaires
de César.' Henri Justel succeeded his father in the office of Secretary to
the King; also in his literary studies and in the liberality with which
his library and house were thrown open to scholars. The letters of all
the learned men of the time bear witness to his hospitality offered to
learning.
He published at Paris, in 1661, the 'Bibliotheca juris canonici veteris
ex antiquis codd. mss. bibliothecæ Christophori Justelli,' in two folio
volumes, and he seemed destined to pursue in peace his erudite career. But
the tempest called the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes was preceded,
for far-seeing Protestants, by premonitory signs which were enough for
Henri Justel. He packed up his books and crossed to England, where he was
appointed Librarian to the King--an office which he held until his death
in 1698. The manuscript of the 'Commentaires' was probably purchased
at the sale of his library by Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford. The Lord
Treasurer of England (1661-1724) found consolation for the ingratitude of
men in forming that magnificent collection, which retains the name of the
Harleian Collection in the British Museum.
Our manuscript, however, reached that haven only with the second part of
Robert Harley's books and manuscripts, in 1754.
_Second Volume._[307]--The first miniature represents François I on
horseback, in hunting costume, wearing the chapeau with plumes. The King
is urging his horse to the right. Above his head a crowned F in gold
stands out against the blue background of a shield. This was a device for
disclosing his identity to those who were not struck by the likeness. In
the middle distance is a huntsman, galloping in the same direction as the
King and blowing his horn. Over his head floats a banderole, bearing the
name 'PEROT.'[308] On a stone between the legs of the King's
horse is the initial letter of the artist's name; and beneath, in a frame
(separated, however, by a running dog), the date 1519. The border is of
the utmost grace of design, and leaves room for a few words of the text,
which begins thus:--
'Françoys, by the grace of God King of France, desiring to exercise his
lusty youth by violent labour, early in the month of August in the year
one thousand five hundred nineteen, went forth to course the stag in the
forest of Byevre, and gave order that on that day those dogs should course
which he had chosen to lead the pack, because they are surer than the
others. Gaillart was of the number, as was Gallehault, and pretty Rameau.
Arbault, Gerfault, and Billehault went in their company.
'The King was following the stag very close and was riding at full speed
when he fell in with the chaste Diana. The King was overcome with joy, and
having forgotten his quarry, he was all amazed that the vision vanished
and he remained all alone in deepest thought. But soon after he saw beside
him an ancient man of venerable aspect. He knew upon hearing him speak
that it was his friend Julius Cæsar, whom he had met in like manner, only
three months before, in his park at Sainte-Germain-en-Laye.'
Thereupon they enter into conversation upon Cæsar's campaigns.
Godefroy's plates, almost all of which are signed with a G and dated 1519,
are on these leaves: 2 verso, 3 verso, 4 verso, 5 verso, 7 verso, 9 verso,
20 recto, 22 verso, 28 recto, 33 verso, 34 verso, 36 verso, 37 verso, 43
recto, 46 verso, 48 verso, 59 verso, 62 verso, 78 verso, 90 recto.
The medallions, which are copied from the antique, are admirably executed
in gold on a blue ground, the models being delicately outlined in sepia.
They are on leaves 6 verso, 8 recto, 9 verso, 10 verso, 11 recto and
verso, 12 recto and verso, 13 recto and verso.
Warlike machines, copied from other drawings, and consequently lacking the
life imparted by the representation of real objects, fill leaves 39 recto
and verso, 40 recto and verso, 41 recto, 91 recto and verso, 92 recto and
verso, 93 recto and verso, 94 recto.
Lastly, the portraits may be found on the leaves which I am now about to
enumerate. I will add nothing to what I have said of their perfection,
generally speaking, reserving my comments for the points of interest
suggested by the manuscript itself. These portraits, as one might have
anticipated, and as is proved by leaf 52 most directly, are copies of
originals which antedate the manuscript. They are painted in miniature,
surrounded by three circles of black and gold; the whole medallion is
fifty-two millimeters in diameter, the miniature forty.
Leaf 25 verso: Quintus Pedius. Such is the title given by the scribe;
but a different hand has written in the margin, in cursive characters:
'Le grand maistre de Boissy, aged 41 years.' I am inclined to see in
these marginal annotations the hand of the author rather than that of the
artist. This portrait is three-quarters full, turned to the left, with
a cap on its head, the hair in a net, a collar of some order around the
neck, face tranquil, expression shrewd.
Leaf 35 recto: Le Fiable Divitiacus Dautun. ('Admiral de Boissy, seigneur
de Bonivet, aged 34 years.') Three-quarters full, turned to the right.
Leaf 36: Quintus Titurius Sabinus. ('Odet de Foues, Sieur de Lautrec, aged
41 years.') Three-quarters full, turned to the left.
Leaf 42: Iccius. ('Le mareschal de Chabanes, seigneur de la Palice, aged
57 years.') Three-quarters full, turned to the left, expression slightly
haughty.
Leaf 52: Lucius Aruculeius Cotta. ('Anne de Montmorency, aged 22 years,
afterwards connestable de France.')
Leaf 73: Publius Sextius Baculus. ('Le mareschal de Fleuranges, son
of Robert de la Marche, first seigneur de Sedan, aged 24 years.')
Three-quarters full, turned to the left.
Leaf 76 verso: Publius Crassus. ('Le sieur de Tournon who was killed at
the battle of Pavia, aged 36 years.') Three-quarters full, turned to the
left.
On the verso of leaf 89 we find these words: 'Thus Cæsar made an end of
speaking and forthwith disappeared. The radiant Diana, who knew the paths
of the forest of Bièvre, and of all time was privy to and understood
the laws of the chase, remounted, and by so straight a course led the
King, who had lost the dogs, that within a few hours, near the forest of
Fontainebleau, he saw them hunting better than before. And he was the
first of all at the death of the stag, but he had with him only pretty
Arbault and the beautiful Greffière, for Diana and Aurora had left him and
had gone their ways.'
The two dogs are represented in the miniature; they are attacking the
stag, while the King makes ready to stab him.
This volume, containing 98 leaves, is bound in black morocco, which
has grown rusty; it bears these words stamped in the leather: 'Tomus
Secundus.' It is catalogued in the Supplément Français, as no. 1328.
Its history, as told among the habitués of the Bibliothèque Nationale,
is as follows: M. Van-Praët appeared at the Conservatoire one day
with an exultant air; he had this fascinating manuscript in his hand,
and announced that he had purchased it for the Bibliothèque for 1200
francs. He expected to gladden the hearts of his comrades, to call forth
expressions of gratitude; far from it; on the contrary, they found fault
both with that method of purchasing, without authority, and with the price
that he had paid. M. Van-Praët made haste to banish the scruples of his
inflexible directors, and to put an end to the unpleasant discussion that
was beginning, by declaring that the purchase had been made for himself
and not for the Bibliothèque; then, when the meeting was adjourned, he
hastened to his friends the brothers Debure, and, with a bursting heart,
told them of his misadventure. They appreciated Van-Praët's regrets too
thoroughly to try to calm them; but they knew also that he was not rich
enough to keep the manuscript, and they bought for their own little
collection, at the price that he had paid, that charming product of French
art, still bleeding from the reception that it had met with at the hands
of the great so-called 'national' collection. Years and years had passed
since this strange performance, when, in 1852, a small package was brought
to M. Naudet, with the information that M. Debure, by his last will, had
ordered that this manuscript, embellished with paintings by Godefroy,
which had been purchased for the Bibliothèque and spurned by it, should be
restored to it as its property.
One does not know which to admire more in this testamentary disposition
of the famous bookseller--the keenness of his irony or the nobility
of his act. Without exerting itself overmuch to decide that point the
Conservatoire of the Bibliothèque Impériale welcomed the prodigal child
and deposited it in the Supplément Français. But, with a lingering remnant
of spite, its light was hidden under the bushel of 'la réserve'; which is
one way of preventing people from having access to it with the facility
which assists investigations, under the protection of that liberality
which is one of our claims to honour among foreign nations, and which the
government of the Bibliothèque should have preserved, even at the price of
the inconvenience that it might have caused.
_Third Volume._[309]--Original binding, with the title: 'Cæsaris liber
tertius.' The text begins thus:--
'On the twenty-seventh day of February, one thousand five hundred XX, the
King being in his park of Congnac, seeing that the splendour of his entry
was like to be marred by the inclemency of the weather, took shelter in
the house of the labyrinth, having with him monsieur l'Admiral and the
young and discreet Sieur de la Rochepot. At the entrance to the lower room
he feels and hears so violent a wind that it seems to him "quam spiritu
vehementi" the lofty trees fall to the earth as on Friday the ninth day of
March one thousand VᶜᶜXX in divers places about Paris.'
The result of all this uproar is the appearance of Julius Cæsar. François
I questions him as to what he did after pacifying Gaul. Whereupon Cæsar
replies:--
'I tell you that, after divers victories won by me, so high an opinion
of me and so great renown were spread among the barbarian peoples, that
ambassadors were sent to me by the nations beyond the Rhine, who in the
name of their cities promised to give hostages to me and to obey my
commands. But, for that I was in haste to go thence, I bade them return to
me in the summer season. Thereafter I led my legions to winter quarters
in the land of Touraine and in the duchy of Madame your mother. And that
done, I went hence to Italy.'
This volume is supplied with two maps: one, of Aquitaine, is at the
beginning, the other, of Bretagne, at the end of the volume, which
contains also no less than twelve large miniatures. The King, in hunting
costume, figures again and again in them. The execution is as careful, and
the paintings of the same type, as in the two earlier volumes. All the
miniatures and the maps are signed with a G, and some of them are dated
1520. On folio 52, the painter's name is written in full: 'Godefroy.'
The former owner of this fine manuscript writes to me: 'I cannot furnish
you with any interesting information concerning the manuscript of the
"Commentaires de César." It was given to me, only the slightest importance
being attached to the gift, by a resident of Tours, who owned no books,
and who had kept it for forty years in his closet. To tell you how it
came into my hands would be the more difficult because that person has
long been dead. The volume was delivered to me in very bad condition. I
employed Duru to repair the back and to rebind it, leaving intact the
covers, which were of the original sixteenth-century binding. A small
engraving, which resembled niello-work, but was recognized as the work of
Étienne de Laulne, an engraver of Orléans, was at the beginning of the
book.'
Obliged, in 1850, by circumstances which it is needless to detail,
although they were to his honour, to part with this precious volume,
its owner sent it to Paris, to M. Techener, for sale on commission. He
wanted 2000 francs for it, and first of all the bookseller offered it to
the Bibliothèque Nationale. The Conservatoire of that great collection
could not find that amount in its annual credit of 80,000 francs, and it
renewed the old joke which had temporarily banished the second volume.
Unfortunately one does not meet every day, to repair its errors, generous
booksellers like M. Debure, or those who have it in their power to be as
generous as he; and M. Techener, who was richer than our rich collection
of books for the purpose of purchasing this manuscript, was not rich
enough to present it to that collection. He advertised it in the 'Bulletin
du Bibliophile' for 1850 (no. 1222), for 3000 francs. During a whole
year, artists and curious folk (I was among the latter) were at liberty
to examine it at leisure and to lament the advent of English dealers who
threatened every moment to take it from us. At last, Monseigneur le Duc
d'Aumale added it to his treasures of printed books and manuscripts,
and, although in England, one may say now that it belongs to France.
Indeed, it may be that M. Debure's example will be followed some day,
and that this third volume will come to join the second on the shelves
of our magnificent department of manuscripts, awaiting the time when the
fortunate result of negotiations with the British Museum shall permit the
consummation of the work by means of exchanges.[310]
* * * * *
Godefroy's facile talent could not fail to be fruitful of results, and
some of his works may be found in several collections. The Bibliothèque
de l'Arsenal owns one of them, the 'Triomphes de Pétrarque,' which
seems, in view of the exuberance of the subjects, the exaggeration of
the artist's defects, and the laxness of execution, to be of later date
than the 'Commentaires de César'; and, whether because the artist had
visited Italy, or because, the better to interpret the poet's ideas, he
sought inspiration in Italian works, it is certain that he is less French
in the illustrations of this manuscript than in the others. He is more
perfect, too, in the art of composition, his distances are more accurately
measured, his groups are more in harmony with one another; in a word, he
displays an inspiration, or resources, altogether new: such, for example,
as the device of cutting off the figures in the foreground at the waist,
by means of rising ground, whereby he is able to give them strongly
proportioned frames without filling up his whole picture.
I will describe this manuscript briefly. It is a small octavo volume of
ten leaves (not including the covers), written on fine parchment. It
is about 10 centimetres in height by 8 in width. It was rebound in the
eighteenth century, in lemon-colored morocco.
'Here followeth the first of the six triumphs of the most illustrious and
venerable poet Messire Francisque Petrarque: the which is the triumph of
Love and containeth four chapters.'
Chapter I. A miniature painted on pages 2 and 3, which face each other.
It represents the triumph of Love, with a deal of disorder and somewhat
licentious details. The G can be seen in the foreground, in the centre of
the picture, on the ground.
Chapter II. The miniature has been removed.
Chapter III. The miniature occupies the verso of the title of the chapter.
In the foreground are amorous couples discoursing together, some seated,
some walking about. The men wear caps with long feathers, as in the
bas-reliefs of the hôtel de Bourgtheroude. The architectural arrangement
in the background is charming. Beside a triumphal arch rises the tower
of love. Flames are darting from all its windows, and meanwhile a long
procession of women rushes through the door, followed by a Cupid with
bandaged eyes. The artist has painted his initial on the tower.
Chapter IV. In this miniature, Petrarch's face, twice repeated, seems to
be a reproduction of an original portrait. The G can just be distinguished
on a rock in the foreground; it has been effaced.
'Here followeth the second triumph of Messire Francisque Petrarque, the
which is the triumph of Chastity.'
The miniature occupies two facing pages, but it forms two distinct
pictures. The buildings in the background are arranged in a quasi-Italian
style, but are not a reproduction of any known structure. Godefroy has
placed his G on a tree, at the left, accompanied by three lizards--a
detail which should not be passed over, for it is repeated several times,
as if the name of those creatures bore some relation to that of the artist.
'Triumph of Death, the which is the third triumph of Petrarque.'
[Chapter I.] This miniature is one of the most interesting and best
preserved. Death, grasping his scythe, stands over the body of a young
woman lying dead on the triumphal chariot. It is, in fact, the Italian
triumph, as we have it represented in so many works. In this case the
miniature is in duplicate, as well as the painting. The G is at the bottom.
Chapter II. Miniature on a single page: the death of Laura. The young
woman is lying on the bed of death. She is surrounded by her friends, with
palms in their hands. Above, in the sky, is seen the form of the Virgin.
It is a very pleasing composition, nearly filling the frame, and the
effect is charming.
Chapter III. Petrarch and Laura are seated in the shade of tall trees, on
the bank of a pond in which two swans are floating. The same two persons
are seen farther back, twice repeated, and diminishing in size according
to the distance. An architectural structure, decidedly Italian in type,
closes the view at the back. The G is painted on a stone at the feet of
Petrarch and Laura. Evidently Godefroy had studied several portraits of
the two, and he copies them with some success in their various attitudes.
The trees are done so skilfully that one might well believe that he could
recognize the touch of a landscape artist, and a generally happy effect
gives to this miniature all the value of a painting.
'Here followeth the fifth triumph of Messire Francisque Petrarque, the
which is the triumph of Time.'
The miniature occupies two pages and includes two subjects. In one, Time,
represented by the signs of the zodiac, and by the allegorical figures of
antiquity, marks his progress in the sky; mortals undergo his influence on
the earth. The artist has signed his work at the right, at the foot of the
picture, this time with his full name: 'Godefroy.' In the other miniature
the triumph of Time is represented. He is passing in his chariot, drawn
by four horses at a gallop, between the four Seasons. On the left, at the
foot, we see a G and two lizards.
'Here followeth the sixth and last triumph of Messire Francisque
Petrarque, the which is the triumph of the Deity.'
This title is followed by a double miniature. In one, we see God the
Father and Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit soaring above their heads,
seated on the globe and presiding at the last day. Flames fall from the
skies upon mankind, who are divided into the good and the bad; angels
tranquilly lead the former, while devils brutally pursue the others. At
the foot, on the right, is the G. On the other page, God the Father and
God the Son (the Holy Spirit hovering over them as before) are seated in
a triumphal chariot drawn by the ox, the lion, the eagle, and the angel,
which are the symbols of the evangelists. They come forward, surrounded by
all the dignitaries of the Church. Pagan Love, with bandaged eyes, lies
dead on the ground near the chariot wheels; a long procession of saints,
male and female, concealed below the waist by an elevation, are following
the course of the chariot in the foreground. This arrangement made it
possible for the artist to make his figures larger and to delineate their
features with care. The G is at the foot of the miniature, on the ground.
All these miniatures, painted in grisaille, with blue skies and water, and
with some few details in colour, are 86 millimetres high and 68 wide.
Comte Léon de Laborde.
3
In the catalogue of the library of M. Firmin Didot père, sold in 1811, is
the following description of a magnificent manuscript:[311]--
'The first three books of Diodorus Siculus, translated from Latin into
French by Antoine Macault. Small folio, in blue morocco, with dentelles,
_lavé_, _réglé_, bound with the arms of François I, whose cipher it bears
on the back and on the cover.
'A superb manuscript on vellum, presented to François I, containing 173
leaves, 30 lines to the page. It is illustrated with miniatures and
with a large number of initial letters painted with the utmost care.
The first miniature represents François I surrounded by the nobles and
scholars of his court; it is 10 inches high and 6½ wide. This painting,
of the most finished workmanship, has the additional merit of presenting
the features of several great men of that time. All the pages on which
chapters begin are set in fillets of gold and ultramarine. The initials
are 19 lines high and 12 wide. More than fifty of these initials represent
the principal subjects of their respective chapters. The third book is
especially noteworthy, for, beginning with page 130, there is a series of
small miniatures, admirable in execution and of the greatest exactness in
respect of forms.
'This manuscript has the advantage of being in a most excellent state of
preservation.'
It was sold to M. Brunet, author of the 'Manuel du Libraire,' for 1476
francs (not including the usual expenses); he bought for William Beckford,
Esq., of Fonthill Abbey in the County of Wilts, of which Salisbury is the
shire town. The author of the 'Repertorium Bibliographicum,' printed at
London in 1819, informs us that Macault's manuscript was at that time in
the library of that distinguished collector, which is described on pages
203 to 230 of the 'Repertorium.'[312]
The description of the manuscript is as follows:--
DIODORE.--LES TROIS PREMIERS LIVRES DE DIODORE SICILIEN,
HISTORIOGRAPHE GREC DES ANTIQUITEZ DEGIPTE, ETHIOPIE ET AUTRES PAYS
DASIE ET DAFFRIQUE. TRANSLATEZ DE LATIN EN FRANCOYS PAR MAISTRE
ANTHOINE MACAULT, NOTAIRE, SECRETAIRE ET VALET DE CHAMBRE ORDINAIRE
DU ROY.
'Folio, ms. on vellum, in the original binding; the sides strewn with
fleurs-de-lis and the initial letter F. On one side, in a square
compartment, in gold letters: DIODORE SICILIEN. On the opposite
side: AV ROY FRANCOYS PREMIER.
'This fine manuscript, formerly in the possession of Francis the First,
appears to have been executed by his express command. Prefixed to the
history is a painting of the King seated under a canopy powdered with
fleurs-de-lis, surrounded by his courtiers: his three sons, the Dauphin
Francis, Henry, afterwards Henry II, and Charles, Duke of Orleans, dressed
in rich habits, appear in the foreground. The King seems to direct his
attention to a person reading, dressed as an ecclesiastic, probably the
translator of the History. A beautiful greyhound on the floor, and a
marmoset, sitting on the table, near the King's left hand, are prominent
figures in the groupe [_sic_]. In addition to this exquisite illumination,
the volume is enriched with numerous large initial letters, painted with
peculiar delicacy, representing occurrences described in the book, manners
of various nations, and portraits of their early emperors and kings.'[313]
This description is accompanied by an engraving on copper of the figure of
François I, after the Macault MS. The King is depicted full face, seated
before a table on which, near his left hand, is a monkey. The background
is a tapestry covered with fleurs-de-lis. This engraving is dated July 1,
1817, and is the work of M. Behnes. It differs from the engraving on wood
found in Macault's printed volume, not only in that it does not include
the various persons of the original drawing, but also in the details of
the King's costume. I have every reason to believe that the wood engraving
is a faithful reproduction of the original, just as the book itself is a
reproduction of the manuscript, except for the other drawings, which were
omitted, from economical motives, no doubt.
Macault's volume is a quarto, consisting of 8 leaves of preface, 154 of
text (signatures A to Q), and 8 of index. The author's preface begins with
an S from which depends a shield (probably Macault's), bearing two fasces
accompanied by nine bezants arranged in threes, and having for a motto the
Greek word ΜΗΚΕΤΙ (not at all). The letter is repeated
on folio 148. The first page has a border in the shape of a portico, like
those in the opuscula published by Tory in 1531 and described on pp.
202-203. At the foot is the date 1535. On the verso we find the final
border of 'Champ fleury,' within which are drawn, in the vellum copy
preserved at the Bibliothèque Nationale, the royal arms of England, with
the motto DIEV EST [_sic_] MON DROICT, below.[314]
4
PAULI JOVII NOVOCOMENSIS VITÆ DUODECIM VICECOMITUM MEDIOLANI
PRINCIPUM.
Folio manuscript of 137 leaves. Bibliothèque Nationale.
This manuscript is enriched with ten portraits of dukes of Milan, painted
from originals, of each of which Paulus Jovius gives the abiding-place.
1. Otho archiepiscopus.
2. Matthæus magnus.
3. Galeacius [Galeazzo] primus.
4. Actius.
5. Luchinus.
6. Joannes archiepiscopus.
7. Galeacius secundus.
8. Barnabas.
9. Jo. Galeacius [Gian Galeazzo] primus.
10. Philippus.
The dedicatory epistle of this book, which was at first intended to be
addressed to François's third son, Charles de Valois, as the author
informs us, was addressed to the Dauphin, Henri, afterwards Henri II, who
succeeded to the rights of his elder brother, deceased in 1536, and of his
younger brother, who died in 1545. It is dated at Rome, the 4th of the
Kalends of April (March 29), 1547.
It is not certain that Tory did any work on this manuscript, but I mention
it because of the engravings of the portraits, which appeared in the
edition published in 1549.[315]
5
RECUEIL DES ROIS DE FRANCE, LEURS COURONNE ET MAISON, etc.,
by Jean du Tillet, register in chief of the Parliament of Paris.
Large folio manuscript on vellum; Bibliothèque Nationale. It is the
original manuscript given to Charles IX, to whom it is dedicated. It is
bound in red morocco, with that prince's arms.[316]
This manuscript is embellished with a large number of miniatures and
with thirty full-length portraits of kings of France, very carefully
executed, which remind one of the portraits accompanying the manuscript
of the 'Commentaires de César.' We also find there the escutcheons of the
principal officers of the crown.
Here is the list of the kings represented: each portrait occupies a full
page.
1. Clovis.
2. Clotaire I.
3. Sigebert.
4. Chilpéric and Frédégonde.
5. Clotaire III.
6. Charlemagne.
7. Louis le Débonnaire.
8. Charles le Chauve.
9. Charles le Simple.
10. Raoul.
11. Louis d'Outre Mer.
12. Lothaire.
13. Philippe I.
14. Louis le Gros.
15. Louis le Jeune.
16. Philippe-Auguste.
17. Louis, père de Saint-Louis.
18. Saint-Louis.
19. Philippe le Bel.
20. Louis le Hutin.
21. Philippe le Long.
22. Charles le Bel.
23. Philippe de Valois.
24. Jean.
25. Charles V.
26. Charles VI.
27. Louis XI.
28. Charles VIII.
29. Louis XII.
30. François I.
As we see, the book was originally intended to stop with François I;
but as circumstances prevented the author from printing it thus, du
Tillet included the reigns of Henri II, François II, and Charles IX, who
succeeded one another at brief intervals. The work was still unpublished
when the author died, in 1570; it would seem, however, that he had long
been preparing to print, since we find in the edition of 1580 engravings
signed with the Lorraine cross.[317]
6
In 'Les Récréations historiques,' by Dreux Duradier, on page 102 of volume
one, we read:
'In the manuscript of the late M. Lancelot, written, it is said, by the
hand of G. Tory, with the date of 1546, is found this ballad in honour of
the Virgin:--
'"Balade de Lyon Jamet sur la Vierge:
Qui me crea je l'ai conçu," etc.'
I have vainly sought this manuscript among all those of Lancelot owned by
the Bibliothèque, of which there is a special catalogue; but I have been
unable to find it.
7
In order to omit nothing, I will also mention here another valuable
manuscript of the Bibliothèque Nationale, on one of the miniatures of
which is a G, followed by a small T or F, which may fairly be attributed
to Geofroy Tory. It is a translation of Livy, in two large folio volumes,
on vellum, acquired from the Bibliothèque de la Sorbonne, and enriched
with magnificent engravings, attributed to Jean Fouquet, which, however,
cannot be his, for the book has, on the first page, the arms of François
de Rochechouart and Blanche d'Aumont, who were married about 1480 and
died, both, in 1530. Evidently it was not in the early years of their
marriage that the book was written; and, as it must have occupied several
years, and, in fact, was never finished, there is nothing extraordinary in
the idea that Tory may have executed some of the miniatures about 1520.
Furthermore, in order to place the reader in a position to judge for
himself, I will add that the cipher mentioned above is painted on the leg
of the figures in the miniature on page 123 of volume one.[318]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 299: According to M. Dussieux, _Les Artistes français à
l'étranger_, p. 67, the first is unquestionably the chef-d'œuvre of
miniature-painting in the Italian style.]
[Footnote 300: See folio 86 of the second volume: 'The Aduatuci, that is
to say those of Bois le Duc, are in Brabant, within xii leagues of Envers,
neighbours of Monsieur de Gueldres.']
[Footnote 301: Folios 59, 64, 69, 72, and 77 of the second volume.]
[Footnote 302: Folios 30 recto and 31 verso of the second volume.]
[Footnote 303: Vol. ii, folio 93.]
[Footnote 304: I hesitated a long time before adhering definitely to this
opinion; at the outset I thought that I detected two painters, one for
the portraits, one for the decorations; but soon, after studying more
closely, after comparing the miniatures, the small figures in the columns,
the amazing imitations of ancient medallions, and lastly the portraits,
I became absolutely certain that a single hand, guided by a flexible and
varied talent, combined these different types and produced the whole.]
[Footnote 305: Their dimensions vary from 90 to 100 millimeters in height,
and from 60 to 70 in width.]
[Footnote 306: British Museum (Harleian), no. 6205.]
[Footnote 307: _Bibliothèque Nationale._]
[Footnote 308: This Perot was a favourite huntsman of whom François I
speaks in one of his letters to the Connétable de Montmorency: 'I am
obliged to confess that we lost the stag, and Perot has buried himself;
he dares not show himself in my presence.' M. Génin, who published
this letter among the _pièces justificatives_ of his edition of the
_Lettres de la Reine de Navarre_ (8vo, Paris, 1841; p. 468), says in a
note to the name Perot that he was a dog. I should probably have made
the same mistake, had I not, even before I saw this miniature, made the
acquaintance of the huntsman in question upon reading the accounts of
the expenditure of François I, the lists of his household, and the rolls
of receipts given to his treasurer. I find, for example, under date of
July 12, 1531: 'Due to Perot de Ruthie, in payment of such emoluments and
privileges as he has by virtue of his office of keeper of the park and
castle of Saincte Jame, and of the forests and four ponds of Raiz.' Five
years later, I find this entry: 'To Perot de Ruthie, to be used for the
necessary expenses of sending for and causing to be brought to him a part
of the dogs, with their whippers-in, from his kennels in the forest of
Chenonces.' (Roll of Receipts for 1536). Still later, he became lieutenant
of venery and gentleman of the chamber. He was one of those favoured
retainers who know how to make their way.]
[Footnote 309: Library of S. A. R. le Duc d'Aumale, at Twickenham, near
London.]
[Footnote 310: [The Duc d'Aumale (fourth son of Louis Philippe), who lived
in exile in England during the Second Empire, returned to France soon
after the fall of Louis Napoleon, and held a notable position in society,
politics, and literature, until his death in 1897. By his will he left his
Château of Chantilly, with his very valuable collections, to the Institut
de France, in trust for the French nation. The translator regrets his
inability to state definitely the present whereabouts of volume 1.]]
[Footnote 311: Octavo, 1810; p. 124, no. 880.]
[Footnote 312: According to information supplied to me from England, it
would seem that this fine manuscript is to-day [1865] in the library
of the Duke of Hamilton (Hamilton House, 22 Arlington St., Piccadilly,
London).]
[Footnote 313: [This description is copied verbatim from the
_Repertorium_, by M. Bernard; the English is evidently a translation of
some French original.]]
[Footnote 314: See the following section, under the date of 1535 (infra,
p. 205).]
[Footnote 315: See the following section, under the date of 1549 (infra,
p. 234).]
[Footnote 316: See what is said of this MS. in Le Prince's _Essai
historique sur la Bibliothèque du Roi_, edit. 1856, pp. 28 and 47.]
[Footnote 317: See what I have to say later on this subject under the
heading 'Engravings of Uncertain Date' (infra, p. 255).--According to
M. Brunet (_Manuel de Libraire_, 5th edit., vol. ii, col. 929), the
first edition of this book was published at Rouen in 1577, under this
title: _Mémoires et recherches touchant plusieurs choses mémorables pour
l'intelligence de l'estat et des affaires de France_. But I find it
difficult to credit the accuracy of this statement, as the edition of 1580
prints a license dated no earlier than August 10, 1578.]
[Footnote 318: I am indebted for this information to M. Vallet de
Viriville, who is devoting himself to looking up the works of Jean
Fouquet, as I myself am looking up Tory's.]
SECTION II. PRINTED BOOKS ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY TORY OR HIS
PUPILS.
1515
There appeared for the first time, in the books of Hours published
by Simon Vostre about 1515, three engravings which are clearly
distinguishable in method of execution from those previously used by the
same bookseller, to which the three new ones were thereafter added.
Thenceforth Vostre's Hours contained three varieties of engraving: (1) The
old gothic woodcuts (among which must be reckoned the Dance of Death with
dotted background), which figure in the editions issued by that bookseller
even in the fifteenth century; (2) Two large drawings in the Renaissance
style, which appear in his editions of 1507 and which may be attributed
to Jean Perreal, Tory's teacher; (3) The three in question, which do not
appear earlier than 1514 or 1515. These engravings are: (I) The
Adoration of the Shepherds, signed with the letter G in a gothic shield;
(II) The Adoration of the Magi; (III) The Circumcision;
the last two signed with this monogram: [Illustration: F]. The
G is still inclined to the gothic, but the second letter is altogether
roman. In my judgement, this monogram should be translated by the words,
'Godofredus faciebat,' or 'fecit.' It is true that the ascription of these
engravings to Tory has been contested; but Jules Renouvier, whose taste
was so unerring, and who cannot be accused of infatuation for Tory, did
not hesitate to adopt my hypothesis. 'In the last of Vostre's Hours,' he
says, in the pamphlet that he published concerning that bookseller, 'we
see, besides the plates executed in the old French manner, which have
not disappeared as yet, other plates in the Italian and German manners,
subjects treated in an altogether novel style: the Adoration of the
Shepherds, the Adoration of the Kings, and the Circumcision, are composed
of small figures in a large ground; the design has recovered all its
delicacy, in its clearly drawn forms, and the cutting is done with no less
diversity than care. Here, luckily,' continues Renouvier, 'a monogram
enables us to attribute the engravings to their author. It is a G alone,
or enclosing an F, subscribed on a shield or in a cartouche
hanging from a branch. They have been claimed for Geofroy Tory, and with
good reason, for the manner in which these plates are executed accords
with what we know of that excellent artist.'
It is, perhaps, to these engravings, so successfully executed, that we
should ascribe the partiality that Tory afterwards displayed for books
of Hours, of which, as we have seen, he put forth several editions, in
diverse formats, and with a large number of engravings on wood done by
himself.
1516-1518
Here is to be placed Tory's second journey to Rome,[319] from which he
returned more Italian than ever, in respect to art.
1519-1520
Under this date, which was when Tory was working at the manuscripts I
have described above, I shall place, albeit somewhat conjecturally, two
small engravings on wood, signed with the letters G T, which appear in a
publication of M. Varlot entitled: 'Illustration de l'ancienne imprimerie
troyenne' (4to, 1850). They are numbers 84 and 131, the first in the
criblé style, the second in the style of the Renaissance. My ascription
of them to Tory is based upon the facts that they are of his time, as we
may infer from the one in the criblé style, and that the initials G T
are entirely consistent with that period of the life of our artist, who
sometimes signed his name in full, Geofroy Tory, as witness his Hours of
1524.
The first of these engravings, number 84, represents a Descent from the
Cross. The letters G T are at the foot of the plate, and are some distance
apart.[320] In the same collection there is another engraving of the same
series, but not signed--number 78. It represents a bishop blessing a sick
man who lies entirely nude before him. These two are 48 millimetres wide
by 62 high.
Number 131 represents a scene from Terence. The letters G T are side by
side at the foot of the plate, which is 33 millimetres high by 55 wide.
In the same collection, numbers 132 and 133, are two other woodcuts of
the same series, but not signed. Lastly, in an edition of Æsop, published
recently at Troyes, by the printer Baudot, we find a woodcut which
probably had the same origin, and found its way into this volume by
chance. These four engravings are evidently from an edition of Terence in
a small format; I have been unable to find it.
1520-1521
I shall place under this date a title-page, in octavo, forming a border,
engraved for Simon de Colines, and bearing his mark and his initials. This
printer, who succeeded in 1520 Henri Estienne, the first of the name,
whose widow he married, wished to mark his printings in some special way,
and to that end applied to Tory, who was a friend of the family. Tory
engraved the title-page in question, in the criblé style, then much in
vogue; and on it are seen rabbits, or _conils_, which is believed to be
an allusion to the name of Colines.[321] Tory's mark appears in white, at
the foot of the engraving, to the right. I have seen this engraving in an
Epitome of the 'Adages' of Erasmus, in Latin, printed by Simon de Colines,
in 1523, in octavo, under this title: 'Johannis Brucherii Trecensis
Adagiorum ad studiosæ juventutis utilitatem ex Erasmicis chiliadibus
excerptorum epitome.' It was probably Tory, too, who engraved Colines's
large mark with the rabbits (Silvestre, no. 79), which is in the same
style, and which appears in the Hours of 1524; but it does not bear the
double cross. Tory also engraved for Colines two other marks in a very
different style (Silvestre, nos. 80 and 329), and a multitude of borders
and illustrations for his books.
Colines certainly employed Tory more than any other printer did, as we
shall see in the sequel. This fact leads me to believe that Lottin is
mistaken in bestowing upon Colines the title of engraver of letters,
attributing to him doubtless the engraving of the graceful italics that
he used in works written in verse; I am convinced that those letters are
the work of Tory. I will call attention, however, to the fact that the
capitals that go with these italics are roman, and may belong to the roman
letters which Simon de Colines had from Henri Estienne. But the font is
enriched with some white two-line letters, of a charming design, which are
certainly Tory's, as are the floriated letters used by Colines and his
stepson Robert Estienne.
1521-1522
I. Tory engraved also for Simon de Colines a magnificent
title-page intended for a very rare work, which, for that reason, I
think that I ought to describe in detail (after one of the copies in the
Bibliothèque Nationale), for its existence has been doubted.[322]
The book is entitled: 'Commentarii initiatorii in quatuor Evangelia,'
etc., with no author's name on the title-page; but it was written by
Jacques Lefèvre d'Etaples, as we shall see in a moment. It is a folio, of
6 unnumbered preliminary leaves, and of 377 numbered leaves, making 192
sheets, divided into 50 folds of 4 sheets each, except the first, which
has only 3. The signatures go from _a_ to _ddd_ consecutively. The text
of the Gospels is set in large type (great primer), the notes in smaller
type (pica), in which there are some very handsome Greek characters, with
accents, which were still a novelty at that time.
The title is in a wide border, engraved on wood, decorated with the
symbols of the four evangelists, beneath which are printed passages from
their works. This border, which is signed with the Lorraine cross at the
foot, on the right side, is .225 metre high by .166 wide.
On the second preliminary leaf the author's preface begins, under this
heading: 'Jacobi Fabri Stapulensis ad Christianos lectores in sequens opus
Præfatio.' It ends on the fourth preliminary leaf, with the date, 'Meldis,
anno M. D. XXI.' Then follows a concordance of the four Gospels,
in the form of tablets closed at top and bottom by unsigned engravings.
The Gospel according to St. Matthew, which opens the book, begins with
a superb ornamented L, on a criblé background, .058 metre in height by
.055 in width. The Gospel according to St. Mark, which opens on leaf
115 (erroneously printed 215), begins with an I of the same style and
dimensions. The Gospel according to St. Luke begins on folio 175 verso,
with an F like the two preceding letters. The Gospel according to St. John
begins on folio 259, with the I that has already done duty in the Gospel
of St. Mark. These letters, which are altogether in the style of those
afterwards engraved by Tory for Robert Estienne, seem to me to be fairly
attributable to him, although unsigned.
In the balance of the book we find a large number of other letters
ornamented in the criblé style, but of smaller size, which cannot be
Tory's.
On folios 101 verso and 102 recto are certain astronomical figures,
unsigned, which I dare not attribute to Tory; but I do not hesitate to
attribute to him a large engraving on folio 182 verso. It represents
Jesus in an aureole of flame. Below him is the sea; above him the Father
Everlasting, blessing with the right hand, and holding in his left hand
the globe surmounted by a cross. He is uttering these words which we read
in a scroll: 'Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi bene complacui.'
This engraving, including its border, is .210 metre in height by .137 wide.
On the last page is a subscription in these words: MELDIS, IMPENSIS
SIMONIS COLINAEI ANNO SALVTIS HVMANAE M. D. XXII. MENSE IVNIO.
Who printed this book? Not Simon de Colines, as La Caille said, and as
Maittaire and Panzer have repeated after him, for the subscription means
simply that the printing was done at his expense. One can understand,
in truth, that Simon de Colines, who had at the time an extensive
typographical establishment at Paris in full blast, could not leave
that city to print a book at Meaux. Nor was it a local printer, for no
other contemporary printing at Meaux is known; moreover, the mechanical
execution of this volume, and the engravings with which it is embellished,
prove that it did not come from a wretched provincial workshop.
In my opinion there is but one way of explaining this typographical
enigma. It is this: Guillaume Briçonnet (second of the name), having been
appointed Bishop of Meaux in 1518, took with him to that town his friend
Lefèvre d'Etaples, to whom he entrusted the administration of his diocese.
Etaples employed his leisure in writing various religious works, among
others the Commentaries on the Gospels, which were finished in 1521.
Wishing to have this bulky volume, which was of capital importance to him,
printed under his own eyes, and being unable to leave Meaux, where he was
detained by his duties, Lefèvre simply imported from Paris a portion of
Simon de Colines's printing-office, with a small staff.[323] In this way
he could not only superintend the printing of his book, but also lend a
hand at need, after the example of many another scholar of that time who
did not scorn to practise the printing art.
What I have said is a mere hypothesis, it is true; but this hypothesis
is surrounded by circumstances which give it a powerful appearance of
truth. In addition to what I have said above, I will say that the types of
Lefèvre d'Etaples' book are the same as those used in an octavo printed
at Paris by Simon de Colines in 1523,--a book which I have already cited
and which I now have before me. It is entitled: 'Joannis Brucherii
Trecensis Adagiorum ... ex Erasmicis chiliadibus excerptorum Epitome.' The
title-page has a border signed with the Lorraine cross. More than that,
the first ornamental letter in Etaples' book, which is an A on a criblé
background, is also the first letter of the book of Johannes Brucherius;
whence we see that the typographical material sent to Meaux returned to
Paris immediately after Etaples' book was printed.
Doubtless that is why we have only one book dated at Meaux at that period;
it might be, however, that advantage was taken of the momentary existence
of this printing-office at Meaux to set up some trifling work, in 1521 or
1522; but that would not in any wise modify my conclusion.
II. Tory engraved also, at about the same time, for a printer at
Troyes named Jean Lecoq, the title-page, in the shape of a border, of a
'Gradual'[324] of the Cistercian Order--a very large and handsome folio,
printed at Troyes in 1521. This engraving is in the criblé style, with the
double cross in white at the foot, on the right. At about the same time
he engraved in the same style Jean Lecoq's mark, which appears at the end
of the volume, and of which a reproduction may be seen in M. Silvestre's
book, no. 875.
As this Gradual is very rare (only one copy of it is known to exist, which
I have seen in M. Tross's collection) and very beautiful, I think it well
to describe it. It is almost needless to say that it is printed in gothic
type.
First of all, above the title there is a line printed in black:--
Jesus ✥ Maria Bernard
(It is well known that St. Bernard was the founder of the Cistercian
Order.) Then, in red (I complete the abbreviated words):--
'Graduale ad usum Cisterciensis ordinis: secundum capituli generalis
venerabilium patrum ejusdem ordinis diffinitionem in sequenti paginas
declarata: noviter per quendam Clarevallensem monachum ad debitam formam
utiliter redactum. Et Johannis Lecoq impressoris Trecis commorantis
solertia diligenter impressum. Anno Domini Millesimo quingentesimo
vicesimo primo.' (Here Lecoq's large mark: Silvestre, no. 877.) 'Cum
privilegio.'
The volume is made up of 2 preliminary leaves, for the title, etc., and
252 pages of text, divided as follows: First part, without pagination,
of 18 signatures (_a_ to _s_) of 4 sheets each, except the last, which
has only 2,--in all, 140 leaves. Second part, folios 1 to 112, having 14
signatures (A to O) of 4 sheets--in all, 112 leaves.
The paper is very strong and fine. It is one of the earliest books
printed with music in France, and it reflects great credit on the presses
of Troyes, and especially upon Jean Lecoq, first of the name. Names of
places and persons are consistently printed with capitals. The work is
illustrated with a few engravings; but its most remarkable feature is the
ornamental initials and uncial letters with which it is embellished.
At the end, by way of colophon, are these words:--
'Explicit Graduale secundum usum ordinis Cisterciensis, Trecis impressum
Per Johannem Lecoq, Anno Domini Millesimo quingentesimo vigesimo primo Die
sexta mensis Martii. Laus Deo.'
Here Lecoq's mark with the Lorraine cross in white.
This volume came from the ancient monastery of Oliva, near Dantzig.
1522
I. We may place under this date two other frontispieces signed
with the Lorraine cross. The first is a large engraving divided into four
compartments, and representing armies in battle array, with cannon. The
two upper compartments are connected by the shield of France, surmounted
by a crown and encircled by the order of Saint-Michel, from which branches
of rose-bushes depend on either side. In each compartment there is a
cartouche. Tory's mark is at the foot of the lower left-hand compartment,
in which the banner of France is seen waving. This engraving appears in
the 'Rozier historial de France,' a folio printed in gothic type, at
Paris, for François Regnault, February 10, 1522, before Easter; that is
to say, 1523 new style. In the cartouches the following words are printed
in red, in gothic type: 'Bataille ronde,' 'Bataille de pointe,' 'Bataille
de feu,' 'Bataille de fourche.'[325] It appears in another edition of the
same book, printed in 1528 for the same bookseller; also, in a translation
of Cæsar's 'Commentaries,' printed by Pierre Vidoue, in 1531, for the
booksellers Poncet Le Preux and Galiot du Pré. This translation is a folio
volume divided into two parts, the first translated by Étienne Delaigue,
called Beauvoys, the second by Robert Gaguin. The plate in question is
at the end of the first part, folio 95 verso. The whole book is printed
in black, both text and engraving. I am indebted for my knowledge of the
engraving to M. Robert-Dumesnil _fils_.
II. The second engraving, in the form of a border (folio size),
representing a number of grotesque and licentious subjects, appears in an
edition of the 'Histoire du saint Graal,' published by Philippe le Noir,
sworn bookseller and binder to the University of Paris, on October 24,
1523. The bookseller's initials are in the compartment at the top of the
border.[326]
In this book, as well as in those last described, there are other
engravings; but they are not the work of Tory, to whom only the important
pieces were assigned. These other engravings had, doubtless, appeared
elsewhere.
As for the engraving executed by Tory (which reappears in many other
works printed by Philippe le Noir), it is a copy of a plate engraved by
Urs Graf, dated 1519, and used by Pierre Vidoue, printer at Paris,[327]
particularly in a Virgil of 1529, folio, which is now in the Bibliothèque
Mazarine. The four principal subjects of this engraving, placed at the
four corners of the border, represent: (1) Men lighting torches at a
woman's posterior; (2) A woman carrying off a man in a basket[328]; (3)
The death of Pyramus and Thisbe; (4) The judgement of Paris.
1523
While working for others, Tory busied himself with a long series of
engravings intended for books of Hours to be published by himself.[329]
'It is upon turning over these plates,' says M. Renouvier,[330] 'that one
appreciates to the full his style--rich, diversified and immeasurably
clever in ornamentation, distorted out of proportion, diabolic in the
drawing of faces, descending too often to downright awkwardness in the
carriage of the head and to a habit of bellying out draperies; and,
finally, overweighted by a sort of heaviness in the forms. The artist's
greatest facility is shown in the arrangement of his figures, and in the
decoration of his porticoes. Whatever he may say, it would seem that what
he studied at Rome with the best results were the baths of Titus and the
arabesques of Giovanni da Udino.'
1524-1525
We have seen that Tory had been in the habit for some time of signing his
engravings with a double cross; but this had not yet become an invariable
signature. For instance, about 1524 he often used a monogram in which his
name and surname--or, to use the terms of the present day his Christian
name [_prénom_] and his family name [_nom de famille_]--both appear. It
consists of a capital G, enclosing a smaller S, with the [Illustration]
double cross above. This means, in my opinion, that Tory was the
_engraver_ only ('Godofredus Torinus sculpsit'), in distinction from the
cross alone, which means that Tory both drew and engraved the pieces
on which it appears. In fact, we find in most of those signed with the
monogram a roughness of aspect which is not characteristic of Tory's usual
style.
However that may be, here is a list of the pieces known to me on which
this monogram appears.
* * * * *
I. LE BLAZON DES HERETIQUES.
Quarto of 14 leaves, in gothic type, printed by Philippe Le Noir, 'sworn
binder to the University of Paris,' with a privilege from the court of
the Parliament of Paris, dated December 21, 1524. This is a satirical
production, in verse, attributed to Pierre Gringoire, otherwise called
Vaudemont, at the head of which appears the figure, or effigy, of the
'heretic,' signed with the monogram in question. The description of the
effigy is as follows:
En gibeciere on luy voit ratz avoir,
Qui sont rongeans et serpens detestables
En son giron faisant mords diffamables.
De son sian sort ung aspre feu vollant,
Qui cueur et corps et livres est bruslant.[331]
This very rare work was reprinted at Chartres, in 1832, under the auspices
of M. Hérisson, the librarian of that city. The reprint contains a
facsimile of the engraving.
* * * * *
II. HEURES DE NOSTRE DAME, TRANSLATEES EN FRANCOYS
ET MISES EN RITHME PAR PIERRE GRINGOIRE, DIT VAUDEMONT, PAR
LE COMMANDEMENT DE ... MADAME REGNEE DE BOURBON, DUCHESSE DE
LORRAINE, etc.
A quarto, in gothic type, undated, but containing a table of Easter-Days
beginning with 1524, and a privilege dated October 10, 1525.
This book, which was published by the bookseller Jean Petit, contains 13
large engravings, a list of which follows:--
1. The Annunciation.
2. Adam and Eve.
3. The Cross.
4. The Holy Ghost.
5. The Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles.
6. David praying for Zion, threatened with the divine thunderbolts.
7. The Virgin and the Child Jesus.
8. A Family at Table (Pentecost?).
9. Eight Naked Children Praying; the Holy Trinity in the Heavens.
10. The Manna.
11. David's Penance.
12. The Triumph of Death.
13. Jesus receiving the Crown of Thorns and the Reed.
Only the last of these bears the monogram that I have described[332]; but
the other engravings, being in the same style, should all be attributed to
Tory. We might perhaps also attribute to him the six analogous engravings
which appear in the same author's 'Chants royaux' (printed at the same
time and usually bound with the Hours), but not one of which is signed.
They represent:--
1. The Synagogue: Jesus in the background, entering a pillar.
2. The Prodigal Son: Jesus in the background, curing a woman.
3. Hunters: Jesus in the background, curing one possessed of devils.
4. The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes.
5. Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem.
6. The Crowning with Thorns.
These two books have been reprinted several times. I know of four quarto
editions of the Hours.[333] The first is the one I have just described.
It contains some other engravings, in an entirely different style from
Tory's, which appear also in other books of Hours of older date. The
second has a table of Easter-Days beginning with 1528, and a privilege
dated November 15, 1527. In other respects it is similar to the earlier
one. The third has a table of Easter-Days beginning with 1534. It is like
the last except in one point: in place of the final engraving there is a
different one, signed in the same way, representing Job at prayer before
his burning house, and his neighbours reviling him. This engraving proves
that Tory must have engraved a longer series from which the printer took
this one at random, being unable at the moment to find the one that he
required. The fourth has a calendar beginning with 1540. It is like the
second, except for the privilege, which is dated November, 1525, doubtless
by mistake. These four editions are all in the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal.
* * * * *
III. HISTOIRE ... DE LA ... GLORIEUSE VICTOIRE OBTENUE
CONTRE LES SEDUITZ ET ABUSEZ LUTHERIENS MESCREANZ DU PAYS DAULSAYS
... PAR ... ANTHOINE ... DUC DE CALABRE ..., PAR NICOLE VOLCYR
(otherwise called Volkire) DE SEROUVILLE, etc.
Small folio, in gothic type, without date of printing, but with a
privilege dated January 12, 1526 (1527 new style), issued by Jean de la
Barre, 'garde de la prévôté' of Paris. The battle took place in 1525.
Volcyr's work contains seven engravings, but only the last two, at
the beginning of the last two books, are signed. We may, however, I
think, attribute to Tory the one at the head of the first book also. A
description of these engravings follows:--
1. Frontispiece representing Faith: a helmeted woman trampling upon the
dragon.
2. The author, seated, writing his book.
3. A large plate representing a warrior (the Duke of Calabria?) amidst his
men, waving his sword.
4. A bishop praying.
5. The author offering his book to the prince. A fine plate on which are
several scattered letters, the meaning of which I am unable to conceive.
6. A large plate representing the attack on the town of Saverne. At the
top is the word 'Saberna.'
7. A large plate representing the vision of the Passion. Jesus at prayer,
a halo about his head; facing him, angels presenting the Cross; behind
him, other angels bearing the post to which he was bound; all about him,
the instruments of his torture. This plate is altogether in the manner of
those in the following work.
* * * * *
IV. THE LABOURS OF HERCULES.
Twelve large plates, folio, owned by the Bibliothèque Nationale. Each of
them was formerly accompanied by a number and by a quatrain in French
explaining the subject; unfortunately these have been removed from most
of the plates,[334] and it is impossible for me to-day to place them with
full assurance in the order in which they belong. However, that given
below seems to me most natural. The three which retain their numbers are
marked by an asterisk.
1. The Nemean Lion.
2. The Lernean Hydra.
*3. Cerberus.
4. Antæus.
5. Archelaus.
6. Hippodamia.
7. Geryon.
8. The Pillars of Hercules.
*9.The Cretan Bull.
*10. The Erymanthian Boar.
11. Cacus.
12. Hercules at the Stake.
All of these engravings are signed: [Illustration: S in G]
We give here, as specimens, three of the quatrains accompanying the
engravings; they are the only ones preserved at the Bibliothèque
Nationale. They may very well be the work of Gringoire, like the verses of
the 'Blazon des Hérétiques,' of the same date.
_Number_ 3
Il braue les enffers (chose à luy tresaisee),
Et le chien Cerberus, aux trois chefz surmontant;
Il va les Infernaux main à main combattant,
Pour mettre en liberté son bon amy Thesee.
_Number_ 9
Les furieux Thaureaux (choses esmerveillables)
De ses deux bras nerveux Il maitrise aisement,
Et leur faict faire Ioug desoubs luy forcement
Encor qu'on estimat qu'ils fussent indomptables.
_Number_ 10
Ung sanglier escumeux à la grand' dent pointue,
Qui hommes, vignes et bleds degatoient enragé,
Et par qui l'vniuers estoit endommagé,
Seul, par sa hardiesse, Il acreuante et tue.[335]
The orthography of these verses proves that they were printed in the
seventeenth century[336]; but the very appearance of the verses, and the
condition of the plates, which are already worm-eaten, are sufficient to
justify one in assigning to the latter a very much earlier date than to
the former. So that I can do no better than to refer them to the year
1525, when we find Tory using the same monogram.
Tory seems to have attempted in these plates to imitate Mantegna, whose
work he may have studied in Italy; but he had the good sense to abandon
this manner, which was not his own; or perhaps we should say that he did
no more than follow designs which were supplied to him.
This is what M. Renouvier has to say on this subject:--
'The plates signed with a G surmounted by the Lorraine cross are of
more importance. The Labours of Hercules, in twelve plates, are the
work of no commonplace artist. The drawing assumes a masterly, even a
rough, character, seeking effects in the play of muscles and of facial
expression in imitation of Mantegna and Albrecht Dürer; the cutting
follows up the effect of the burin. Bartsch mentioned them among the old
German masters, and the monogrammatists wavered between Jean Schoorel,
Georges Scharfenberg, Giuseppe Scolari, etc.; their French origin was
not suspected until some proofs were found on which the engravings were
accompanied by French quatrains. Then, when the same mark was found
on a plate used as a frontispiece to Pierre Gringoire's "Blazon des
Hérétiques" (1524), and on several vignettes in the Hours _rendered into
verse_, by the same poet, it was attempted to make a wood-engraver of
Gringoire, who was a Lorrainer, herald-at-arms to Duc René II, and likely
enough to display the cross of Lorraine over his initial. This much is
certain: that the mark consisting of a G with the cross of Lorraine is
found also on the plates of a Lorraine book--"Duc Anthoine's Victory
over the Lutherans"--published by his secretary Volcyr, who paid the
expenses of the publication, "being unable to find any bookseller who was
willing to undertake it, as well because of the portraits and cuts of the
illustrations as of the printing hereof," and caused it to be issued,
not in Lorraine, but in Paris, by Galliot Dupré, in 1526. It is to be
noticed that this bookseller's mark, which represents a galliot, also has
a Lorraine cross surmounting his cipher. Now, the attribution of these
plates to Geofroy Tory is based upon some very ingenious comparisons of
marks; the style of the engravings places no insurmountable obstacle in
the way of such attribution, but it must be admitted that the engraver was
led very far astray from his earlier works by his imitation of the German
manner. It is possible, because French engraving, at the beginning of the
sixteenth century, was pulled in four directions at once, so to speak, by
national habit, by Flemish taste, by German mania, and by Italian charm.
M. Bernard would give the fullest sanction to this second attribution if
he could find any evidence of a journey of Tory's to Alsace or Lorraine
of a later date than his journey to Italy; the importation of woodcuts
from those provinces, then a common occurrence, would indeed suffice, so
far as the common herd of our engravers is concerned, to explain this
alteration in their manner. I will mention in a moment an example, also
out of Lorraine, which must certainly have been known to Tory. Whatever
the fact may be, the Labours of Hercules deserve an honourable place
among the first attempts on a large scale of French engraving, beside the
plates of Jean Duvet. The British Museum, like our Cabinet des Estampes,
has acquired a set of them. Two of the plates in the latter set have the
quatrains which are lacking in the corresponding ones in the Paris set;
these are, the fifth: "The sly Archelaus 'gainst Hercules doth contend";
and the seventh: "The mighty Geryon, despicable tyrant," etc.'
1526
I. I have said that the floriated letters of Simon de Colines and
Robert Estienne were engraved by Geofroy Tory. I cannot furnish material
proof of the fact with regard to those of Colines; but I am about to
produce incontestable evidence with regard to Estienne's. A letter in one
of his alphabets is signed with the Lorraine cross, and that letter is
the G, the initial of Tory's own name, or, as we say to-day, his first
name (_prénom_). It is as if he had written 'Geofroy Tory' in full. But
in this case, in opposition to what we find in the preceding engravings,
the cross, instead of being above the G, is below it, and hidden as much
as possible in order not to injure the design of the 'antique letter.'
This circumstance proves not only that Tory was the engraver of Robert
Estienne's floriated letters, but also that the double cross was that
artist's mark.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Is it not, in truth, a striking fact that Tory chose the letter G to place
his mark upon? He was not withheld by the consideration that that letter,
not being in very common use, especially at the beginning of words,
appeared rather infrequently in books.[337] As always, logic prevailed
with him over every other consideration. Let us see how far it carried him.
Later, he engraved a Greek alphabet, in the same style, for Robert
Estienne; as he could not put his mark on the _gamma_, which bears no
resemblance to the G, he put it on no letter, but on one of the friezes
executed to accompany those beautiful floriated letters.[338] See the
frieze in question at the beginning of the second volume of the Works of
Eusebius, three volumes, folio, 1544.[339]
II. Besides these two alphabets of capital letters, Tory engraved
for Robert Estienne about the same time, six different marks for his
typographical sign, the 'Olive-Tree,' of which a description will be found
later on, in section 3.
III. Tory also engraved, about the same time, for Simon de
Colines, a border in the criblé style, at the foot of which is a sun
which certain centaurs, incited thereto by women, are trying to seize.
(Silvestre, no. 523). This border is probably of 1526, when Colines turned
over to Robert Estienne his father's establishment and set up for himself
at the 'Soleil d'Or,' opposite the Collège de Beauvais. It appears, to my
knowledge, in two octavo volumes of 1529: 'Compendium Grammaticæ græcæ
Jacobi Ceporini,' and 'Liber de opificio Dei.'
1526-1528
This whole period was, in all probability, absorbed by the labour of
engraving and editing 'Champ fleury.' For one of the first engravings
in that book is dated 1526, and it was finished early in 1529. Although
the majority of these engravings are not signed, they must all belong to
Tory, at all events so far as the designs are concerned.[340] I cannot
attempt to enumerate them all here, for there are more than five
hundred, counting as one each of the letters in the various alphabets; but
I propose to mention the more important ones. For historical information
concerning the book, I refer the reader back to what I have said thereon
in the first and second parts of this volume.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
The title-page is enclosed in a very pleasing border,[341] and it has
moreover an engraving of the Pot Cassé reversed.[342] On the verso are the
arms of France.[343]
Folio 1 of text: the letter L, which I have already reproduced.[344]
Folio 3 verso: the Gallic Hercules. This engraving, dated 1526, and
signed with the Lorraine cross, represents Hercules holding his club in
one hand and a bow in the other. He is followed by divers persons of all
conditions, fastened by the ear to a chain that issues from the hero's
mouth. This is an allusion to the power of eloquence over the French. The
strength of the Gallic Hercules lies not in his arms but in his mouth.[345]
Folio 9 verso: cut of the _lisflambe_, a species of lily; it is the swamp
iris, called to-day the _iris flambe_.
Here the first book ends.
The second contains thirty-seven geometrical figures, which it would be
no less difficult than unprofitable to describe. They are, for the most
part, representations of different letters. At the end of this book is the
'Triumph of Apollo and the Muses,' 'to show that they who have knowledge
of goodly letters have the advantage over the ignorant.' This engraving,
which is in two parts,[346] both signed with the Lorraine cross (folios
29 verso and 30 recto), represents Apollo in a chariot, escorted by the
Muses, Liberal Arts, etc., and followed by Bacchus, Ceres and Venus as
prisoners.[347]
On the very last page (folio 30 recto) is an engraving of the _lisflambe_
surmounted by an A made up of three I's.[348]
The third book has, in the first place, twenty-eight engravings of Roman
letters. The twenty-ninth represents a gothic S (folio 42 verso). The
thirtieth is a representation of the Pot Cassé, signed with the Lorraine
cross (folio 43 verso).[349]
[Illustration]
Next come thirty-eight other cuts of letters, and two curious drawings of
the letter Y (folio 63 recto and verso).[350] Then two ordinary copies of
the letter Z, and an allegory based on the shape of that letter (folio
65).[351]
On folio 65 verso is a representation of various punctuation marks.
Folios 68 verso and 69 recto: a Hebrew alphabet of forty letters or
symbols.
Folio 71 recto: the Greek alphabet of twenty-four letters and three
accents.[352]
Folio 72 recto: the Latin alphabet[353] of twenty-three letters, with
three punctuation marks, and the Greek abbreviation of the name of Jesus.
Folio 74 recto: the alphabet of _cadeaulx_ letters, consisting of
twenty-three letters and one mark.
Folio 74 verso: the alphabet of letters _de forme_, consisting of
twenty-nine letters or symbols, with two lines of text added.
Folio 75 recto: the alphabet of _bastardes_ letters, consisting of
twenty-eight letters or symbols, followed by two lines of text.
Folio 75 verso: the alphabet of _tourneures_ letters, consisting of
twenty-three letters.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Folio 76 recto: the alphabet of Persian, Arabic, African, Turkish and
Tartar letters, thirty in all.
Folio 76 verso: the alphabet of Chaldæan letters, consisting of
twenty-three.
Folio 77 recto: the alphabet of _goffes_ letters, otherwise called
_imperiales_ and _bullatiques_, twenty-three in number.
Folio 77 verso: the alphabet of _fantastic_ letters, to the number of
twenty-three.
Folio 78 recto: the alphabet of _utopiques_ and _voluntaires_ letters, to
the number of twenty-three.
Folio 78 verso: an alphabet of floriated letters used in the course of the
book, twenty-three in number.[354]
Folio 79 recto: a series of ciphers or intertwined letters, to the number
of ten.
Folio 80 recto, and last: a border of graceful design,[355] in which occur
Tory's mottoes: 'Menti bonæ Deus occurrit'; 'Sic ut, vel ut'; 'Omnis
tandem marcescit flos.' And in the centre is the Pot Cassé, unsigned,
although it seems to be the same cut that appears on folio 43 verso, with
the cross removed.
1527
* * * * *
I. NOTABLES ENSEIGNEMENS, ADAGES ET PROVERBES, FAICTZ
ET COMPOSÉS PAR PIERRE GRINGOIRE, DIT VAULDEMONT.
Octavo, in gothic type, of 68 leaves; for sale by Galliot du Pré; printed
by Simon du Boys, February 1, 1527 (1528 new style).
On the verso of the second leaf is a wood-engraving with the Lorraine
cross at the right. It represents Gringoire offering his book to the king,
who is seated. In the background, a garden with a bee-hive and bees flying
about it. (Bibliothèque Nationale.)
* * * * *
II. LES HYMNES COMMUNES DE L'ANNEE: TRANSLATEZ DE LATIN
EN FRANÇOIS EN RITHME, PAR NICOLAS MAUROY LE JEUNE, DE TROYES,
avec privilege du roy pour trois ans. (Mark of Jean Lecoq.) On les
vend à Troyes es hostels de Nicolas Mauroy, etc.
The privilege is of 1527. Small folio, in gothic type, printed in red and
black; signatures A to T.
This volume, which I saw in 1858, at M. Techener's, contains a large
number of engravings in the criblé style, and others in the modern style;
but only three of them are signed; these are:--
1. A Last Supper, criblé.
2. A Last Supper, 'à la moderne.'
3. The Virgin, seated, holding the Child Jesus (folio 89 verso).
This book may give us the date of the other signed engravings found
at Troyes, which were published by M. Varlot in his 'Illustration de
l'imprimerie troyenne' (Troyes, 1850, folio).
III. HOURS OF THE VIRGIN, in Latin, published by Tory,
but printed by Simon de Colines; octavo.[356]
IV. HOURS OF THE VIRGIN, in Latin, published by Tory,
but printed by Simon Dubois; quarto.[357]
1528
* * * * *
I. ARISTOPHANES.
In 1528 Pierre Vidoue printed, at the expense of Gilles de Gourmont, nine
comedies of Aristophanes, in Greek, which were published separately, in
quarto form, under the editorship of Jean Cheradam.[358] All of these have
a frontispiece engraved by Tory, of which a description follows. At the
foot, under the words 'Egidivs Gormontivs' in large letters, is a shield
with the Gourmont arms (three roses in chief and a crescent in point),
supported by two winged stags with ducal coronets about their necks,
the crest being a helmet above which is a St. Michael holding a naked
sword.[359] At the left, a Greek inscription; at the right, an inscription
in Hebrew. The two uprights represent the wise men offering their gifts to
the Child Jesus lying on his mother's knees. At the top is a shield with
three crowns in chief (this was the sign of Gilles de Gourmont, as may be
seen on the title-page of 'Champ fleury'), and tears in the field. This
shield has for supporters, on the right a lion, on the left a griffin,
and for crest a helmet surmounted by a fan-shaped ornament. On either
side is an angel with wings holding a shield; that on the left enclosing
an E, that on the right a G, the initials of Gilles de Gourmont's name
in Latin (Egidius Gourmontius). The Lorraine cross is at the foot of the
border, on the left.[360]
[Illustration]
* * * * *
II. ENCHIRIDION PRECLARE ECCLESIE SARUM, DEVOTISSIMIS
PRECATIONIBUS AC VENUSTISSIMIS IMAGINIBUS, ET IIS QUIDEM NON PAUCIS
REFERTUM. (Here the mark of Thielman Kerver--two unicorns
holding a shield _au Gril_, with the T. K., and, beneath, the
full name, Thielman Kerver.) Parisiis ex officina librarie vidue
spectabilis viri Thielmanni.
Small octavo, Paris, 1528, with engravings signed with the Lorraine
cross.[361] Printed in red and black, in gothic type. There are 31
signatures of 8 leaves,--_a_ to _z_, and A to G (signatures _x_ and _y_
have only four leaves each). In all there are 232 numbered leaves, plus 4
leaves of index not numbered.
The volume begins with the title-page, followed by a calendar, the whole
occupying 13 leaves, after which comes the text. It contains 54 engraved
plates, 12 of which are in the calendar, and a large number of initial
letters representing sacred subjects. Beneath each plate is a quatrain in
English.
The 12 plates in the calendar represent allegorical subjects. They are
enclosed in oval borders, and are 71 millimetres by 55. Consequently they
are all out of proportion to the size of the book, which is 84 millimetres
by 48. It is evident therefore that they were not made for it. At the foot
of each, in the border, is the name of the month. The engraving for the
month of February represents a school; that for March, a hunt; that for
April, a gentleman and lady, walking in the country, arm in arm; that for
July, a domestic interior. The last is the only one of these engravings
that I have seen, and that only in a copy. The Lorraine cross may be seen
at the foot.
Here follows a list of the other engravings of this priceless volume, of
which only a single copy is known to exist. It is to be observed that the
pages on which they appear are not numbered, as the cuts occupy the whole
space.
1. The Trinity.
2. The Annunciation.
3. The Visitation.
4. Jesus arrested by the Jews.
5. Nativity of Jesus.
6. Jesus before Pilate.
7. The Annunciation to the Shepherds.
8. The Crowning with Thorns.
9. The Adoration of the Magi.
10. The Bearing of the Cross.
11. The Circumcision.
12. Jesus on the Cross.
13. The Flight into Egypt.
14. The Descent from the Cross.
15. The Coronation of the Virgin.
16. The Placing in the Tomb.
17. David and Bathsheba.
18. David and Joab.
19 to 23. The Story of David.
24. Dance of the Dead.
25. Three Men on Horseback
in a Forest.
26. Adam and Eve expelled from
Paradise.
27. Adam and Eve condemned to
labour.
28. The Creation of Man.
29. Six Men praying before a Bier.
30. Birth and Death.
31. Purgatory.
32. Extreme Unction.
33. Job.
34. A Woman, seated, surrounded by
the Virgin, the Evil One, and a
Man bearing the World.
35. The Trinity (same as no. 1).
36. Jesus in Limbo.
37. The Resurrection.
38. Jesus appearing to His Mother.
39. Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalen.
40. Jesus at Emmaus.
41. The Incredulity of St. Thomas.
42. The Ascent of the Virgin.[362]
1529
I. ENCOMIUM TRIUM MARIARUM, etc., JOANNIS
BERTAUDI.
Quarto, Paris, Josse Bade, 1529.
The Bibliothèque Mazarine has two copies of this priceless volume, one
on paper, the other on vellum, which differ slightly in respect to
the title-page. The one on vellum reads: 'Encomium Joannis Bertaudi
Petragorici Turrisalbæ in ducatu Engolismensi alumni, de cultu trium
Mariarum adversus Lutheranos, cum missa solemniore et officio canonico
earundem, auspiciis augustissimæ principis Joannæ, Aurelianensis,
Gyveriensium dominæ ac comitis de Barcq.' This is followed by a large
plate signed with the Lorraine cross, and representing the three Maries,
etc. There is no publisher's name; nothing but Josse Bade's mark at the
end of the book.
The title-page of the copy on paper reads: 'Encomium trium Mariarum
cum earumdem cultus defensione adversus Lutheranos, solemnique missa
et officio canonico, in quibus omnibus desideres nihil, emissum opera
et industria Joannis Bertaudi Petragorici, utriusque juris licentiati,
Turrisque Albæ in ducatu Engolismensi alumni, auspiciis augustissimæ
principis Joannæ Aurelianensis, Gyveriensium dominæ ac comitis de Barcq.'
Then follows Josse Bade's mark: 'Prelum Ascensianum,' taking the place of
the engraving of the three Maries. And below, 'Venundatur Jodoco Badio et
Galeoto a Pratis.'
This difference is explained by the fact that the copies on vellum were
not intended for sale, so that no bookseller's name was placed on them,
and, furthermore, they were embellished with the cut of the three Maries.
This volume contains three short productions by Jean Bertaud, all directed
to the same end--the defence of the worship of the three Maries.
They are entitled:
(1) Encomium trium Mariarum. (2) Officium trium filiarum beatæ Annæ. (3)
De cognatione sacerrimi Joannis Baptistæ.
There are some twenty engravings, but none of them are signed except that
of the three Maries. And, as Josse Bade was an old printer, who had no
known relations with Tory, we may assume that these engravings are not by
our artist. At most, we may attribute to him the shield of Orléans, at
page 4 of the first work.
II. HOURS OF THE VIRGIN (sixteenmo), in Latin,
published by Tory, for himself.[363]
III. LA TABLE DE L'ANCIEN PHILOSOPHE CEBES.
Two small volumes, octavo, with a border for each page. The double cross
appears on some, not all, of these borders.[364]
IV. ÆDILOQUIUM ... Item: EPITAPHIA SEPTEM DE
AMORUM ALIQUOT PASSIONIBUS, etc.
Octavo, Simon de Colines, 1530.
This little book is enriched by eight engravings: a frontispiece borrowed
from the octavo Hours of 1527, and seven small subjects corresponding to
the seven epitaphs. The latter are certainly Tory's, although not signed.
They are:--
1. Two hearts pierced by an arrow.
2. Two hearts in a circle.
3. Two hearts bound together by cords.
4. Two hearts in a boat.
5. A pig sniffing at two hearts.
6. Two hearts, a distaff, etc.
7. Two hearts being kicked by a horse.
See, for other details, what I have said of this book on pages 92 and 93.
1530-1531
Queen Eléonore's CORONATION and ENTRÉE, and the
EPITAPHS of the Queen-Mother, Louise de Savoie:--three quarto
brochures, of which I have spoken on pages 130 to 134; a description of
the engravings follows.
* * * * *
I. THE CONSECRATION AND CORONATION OF THE QUEEN;
three sheets, quarto.
On the first page, a border, with the word 'Salus' at the foot; the
privilege is on the verso. The text begins on the second leaf, with the
letter L reproduced on page 1. On the last page is another border, with
the word 'Salus,' and the date of printing, March 16, 1530, old style.
* * * * *
II. ENTRÉE OF THE QUEEN; six sheets, quarto.
On the first page the same border as on the first page of the Hours of
1524-25; the privilege is on the verso. On page A ij recto, another border
and an ornamental letter R, after the style of the L in the work last
described. A iiij recto, another border. B iij recto, a border, with the
motto 'non plus' at the top. B viij verso, another border, with the word
'Salus' at the foot; this is identical with that of the last page of the
'Coronation.' E viij recto, another border. F i verso, a lovely drawing of
a 'present made to the queen, of two candlesticks.' On the last page the
border of the last page of 'Champ fleury,' and the date of the printing,
Tuesday, May 9, 1531.
* * * * *
III. EPITAPHS OF LOUISE DE SAVOIE; two sheets and
a half.
First page, the border of the frontispiece of the Hours of 1524-25, with
the Pot Cassé of the first page of 'Champ fleury.' Last page, the border
of the last page of 'Champ fleury' and the Pot Cassé of the first page;
also the date of printing, October 17, 1531. In all three we find the
decorated letters of 'Champ fleury.'
These three brochures, bound together in a small volume, are in the
Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal. The borders used in them reappear later as
frames for the engravings of a book of Hours, quarto, printed in roman
type, in red and black, of which I know neither date nor place of printing
nor name of printer, as I have seen nothing except a few leaves of the
book, preserved at the Bibliothèque Nationale, with the works of Tory.
1531
I. BOOK OF HOURS, quarto, printed by Tory for
himself.[365]
* * * * *
II. BOOK OF HOURS, octavo, with arabesques of
flowers, insects, animals, etc., as in the quarto Hours of 1527.[366]
* * * * *
III. TERENTIANUS MAURUS, DE LITERIS, etc.
NICOLAO BRISSÆO ... COMMENTATORE.
Quarto, Simon de Colines, 1531.
This book is dedicated to Guillaume Petit, Bishop of Senlis, whose arms,
with the Lorraine cross, appear on the verso of leaf 8 of the front
matter. The motto is: 'Utinam novissima providerent.'
* * * * *
IV. CLAUDII GALENI PERGAMENI DE ANATOMICIS
ADMINISTRATIONIBUS LIBRI NOVEM, JOANNE GUNTERIO ANDERNACO, MEDICO,
INTERPRETE.--Parisiis, apud Simonem Colinæum, 1531.
Large folio, with an engraved frontispiece having the Lorraine cross at
the foot, on the left.