Whilst Poussin and Claude were working in Rome, two pupils of Vouet
reaped the highest honours in France. Eustache Le Sueur (1617-1655),
whom his compatriots in their incomprehensible over-estimation of his
mediocre gifts have called the “French Raphael,” certainly strove
to emulate the divine Urbinate; but how badly he succeeded in this
endeavour is to be gathered from the fifty-two paintings, by the
placing of which his memory is retained at the Louvre. What dignity
there is in the simple flow of line in his designs, is completely
ruined by the offensive crudeness of his colour. Even allowing for the
inevitable fluctuations of taste in matters of art, it is difficult
now to understand how enthusiasm could ever have been aroused by the
works that were considered his masterpieces, _St. Paul preaching at
Ephesus_ (No. 560), which at the beginning of last century was valued
at £10,000 (!), and the twenty-two _Scenes from the Life of St. Bruno_
(Nos. 564-585), painted between 1645 and 1648 for the small cloister
of the Carthusians in Paris. This series, which is a severe tax on
the patience of the conscientious visitor, fills the whole of Gallery
XII., whilst other paintings connected with it intrude into the
adjoining room, which is consecrated to the brothers Le Nain.
[Illustration:
PLATE XXXVIII.—CLAUDE GELLÉE, CALLED CLAUDE LORRAIN
(1600-1682)