Veeorative Arts in Germany and France^ 273 



I might give you many examples of the munificent care with 

 which the French government watches over and promotes the 

 welfare of art ; I might describe to you that magnificent estab- 

 lishment, the Ecole des Beaux Arts at Paris ; but I must content 

 myself with a brief notice of that most important of all estab- 

 lishments, the French Academy at Rome. 



The French Academy occupies the Villa Medicis, with its 

 fine and extensive garden on the Pincian Mount. One of the 

 most distinguished of the French artists is sent to Rome as 

 director, his office enduring for five years ; he has fine apart- 

 ments in one part of the villa, and entertains during winter. 



I do not know how many pupils are sent or how long they 

 remain, 1 believe five years ; but this is of no consequence to 

 the view that I am at present taking. The whole cost of the 

 establishment is 100,000 francs, or L.5000 sterling per annum, 

 of which 20,000 francs are expended in travelling expenses 

 during the hot summer months, when the pupils leave Rome 

 (then unhealthy) and visit other parts of Italy. 



The students are required to be at home at meals, unless 

 they have the permission of the Director to do otherwise. They 

 are also required to keep regular hours, to be studious and di- 

 ligent, and to secure this, tasks are allotted to them. The 

 young architects, who study monuments of antiquity, are pro- 

 vided with scaffolding, ladders, and every convenience, and 

 the painters and sculptors are equally cared for ; and, lastly, 

 the Director regularly sees company, generally composed from 

 the best native and foreign society, where the pupils have 

 every opportunity of improving themselves in this agreeable 

 and refined intercourse. 



Contrast this with the English system. Every three years a 

 travelling student is sent abroad, and he is thrown into a po- 

 sition, for profiting in which he is often wholly unprepared by 

 previous education ; he is generally quite ignorant of the his- 

 tory of art, or of any art but that which he has worshipped in 

 the Academy, and is probably prejudiced against all other; he 

 is, in fact, sent to Rome, provided with funds, and perfectly 

 free to follow any course he may choose, without any guide at 

 the very time he most needs one. The result may be antici- 



