FRENCH SCHOOL 
excelled i in works which aaa great execution’ with the , 
raver ; and no one ever. furp affed | 
ining draperies ; a ge 
sa in the print reprelonting the dea ae pat 
ire of Cleo white — which the en- 
pear imitate the pencil of the 
able painter pee eed it 
Not only fhining ae, a but rough and rich 
objects alfo, fuch as the carpets, tiflues, and dead gaine 0 
Gerard Douw, and the woollen draperies, leather of Die- 
trichy, were equally within the fcope of his powers. is 
manual powers were indced ee: The graver was a 
mple and very anci um Centuries had looked 
on, while thoufands of artifts had tried them fkill with it, 
yet it remained for the accurate eyes and firm, dclicate, and 
fteady hand of Wille, to render it fubfervient to the expref- 
fion of the textures of all the various fubftances that nature 
this gencral the perfections ea ce 
art Of Wille, however, fom tement fhoul ld be es 
at leaft certain exceptions ; th t errors of ee: 
nature fhould be pointed out to thofe sie might elfe be in 
danger of having their tafte led away by perniat ad- 
miration. The mathematical precifion .of Wille was far 
better adapted to exprefs the polifh and regularity of art, 
than the wild a rugged | furfaces in which na more fre- 
quently delights ; and even his flefh, which it a neceflari- 
ly be of car ardinal importance to exprefs w rell i in every hiftori- 
cal work, w cha- 
racterized in ibe beft works of Bartolozzi and Strange, will 
appear deficient in that foft firmnefs, and delicacy of tex- 
ture; which diftinguifhes it from all other furfaces what- 
ever. 
Wille was a member of the French: Acade emy, and en- 
graver eeihe king, honours which he richly deferved ; he 
taught feveral pupils, of whom the prefent writer was in- 
formed by one, (the late Mr. Byrne, who ftudied under him 
for a while,) that he ufed, for moft purpofes, very . {quare 
gravers, which is eae to the opinion that i is generally 
entertained. ied. lately at Paris, having furvived the 
troubles of Fi French revolution, at a very advance 
a 
oT o know. his. own aes and to be furrounded by fuch. 
Sama of patronage and opportunity as enables him 
to ufe it moft effectually ‘for the’ public advantage, déés not 
often fall to the lot of an cngraver. Wille enjoyed thefe 
benefits, and employed the greater part of his time in dif- 
fufing through Europe, along with his own, the fame.o 
erar nny, Dietrichy, Terbourg, Netfcher 
and fuch other mafters as are cclebrated fo 
of their execution, and the charms of their chiaro-feuro. 
his beit performances may be reckoned “ 'T - 
Cleopatra,’ after G. Netfcher. A pair 
ith a Mecca 
Good Fr iends, » 
ita s¢ Paternal ae "and «& 
h Gazette,’ from Terbourg. <“ La Cuifiniere Ho 1. 
vA 
Concert,’’ and * The a 
N: ahcians” are both after Schalker, and the above are all -of 
the folio clafs. “Of alarger folio fize, are “ — intro- 
ee Hagar to Abraham,’ ’ after Dietrichy. d from 
1e fame painter, « The Strolling Muticians,”’ “The 
. Reciroct Offer,”’ a pair, the former of which isthe metl celc- 
. Vou... XV. 
im in the’ clearnefs and 
OF. ENGRAVING. 
brated 5 it is dedicated: to Frederic Auguttus, sate ‘of 
Saxony, a nd the firft impreffions are known from thole fub- : 
+ eguenty taken, by the word “ Electorale’’ being omit. ° 
e dec : 
dication. : 
Maes 1 Care,’ “ Maternal Delight,” and « The: 
School Miftrefs,”’ me from the e pictures of the junior Wille; 
and « he Little Sc 
J. Es haa enal. 
holar,’’ companion to the latter, from 
Thefe alfo are in folio 
“y e younger Wille, he has’ alto engr aver arge 
re mene ee Le Maréchal des Logis,’’ which ee 
the courage of Louis Gillet in refcuing a youn irl from 
the power of two robbers; and one of his celebrated, , though 
no means the bet his hiflorical engravings, is 
«The Death of Mark eae after Pompeo Battoni. 
Wille’s portrait was engraven after a picture by-his fons 
by his pupil P. C. Ingouf, and in his own ftyle. The por« 
traits from his own graver are numerous, and among the 
beit are votoned thofe of Madeleine de Scuderie, and Ni- 
Saal ba Catinat, marfh wee aang hee — chef. 
d’ceuv of the matter, eal heron, in 8vo. 
ae ‘Bewvill a rare. int in Gg ; peer Choe 
neau, regi a fandtioribus Confiliis a orum Comes, after 
. Sueur, Bernard Belidor, after Vizé, engraven it 
754. ac re Columna de Sciarra, after P. 
Baton. A 
The follo owing = eal “of the folio clafs: C. E. Brifeux, 
architect, fro e Ma arguerite Eliz. de Largilliere,. 
fro d ouy, sao 
Jofeph 
e ullogne, comptroller peeel “Of 
— Louis Auguflus Fouquet de egg 
aurice of marfhal of Fra all 
a Jof. Parrocel “— 
of 
aft 
recel. 
er 
ioeaa “marfhal 
J. B. Le ine, 
_Fredatie th shen of Pruffia, after. 
Hier von — hy after 
. . Francifcus Qretnay, a 7. rca re 
Battifte Maffé, after Toe ocq L g 
de St. Florentine, fecretar 
quis de Marig ocque, was engraved for his re~ 
ception into the Fr a Academy. 
We have now brought down our account . the French: 
School of Engraving toa period, eyon > if we were 
to proceed, we e mutt fpeak of the merits at ee s of livs 
ing artifts. The critics and literati of France have with rea- 
fon regretted ie decline - French engraving, fine ce ‘th ne 
palm of engraving $ 3 that the era o Peak glory i in this art 
o more ; that the indifference of fied ancient govern« 
ment tow ards the art, the want cf enc 
a 4 ich cor- 
rupts taite, and the falfe {plendour which leaves implicit 
and beauty in the fhade, have all concurred, he fay 
duce the art of engraving'to its prefent weeful Rate, As 
with this plaint, a plan for renovating the art was fubmitted 
to eon Dire&tory by Monf. ily which we believe = 
er been attempted to be n execution.’ Other a 
more oat plans will. doubtlefs fucceed the. prefent an 
Yy 
