I46 LETTERS FROM 



eilate before her ; but that, in companion of this half,, 

 is indeed the work of a private man in comparifon with 

 that of a king : accordingly, while the former coll only 

 100,000 guldens, the value of this hall is not to be 

 eilimated. I have never any where feen a thing of the 

 kind carried to an equal extent ; and I believe this hall 

 to be an unique in the world. The pavement is in the 

 italian manner, finely executed in marble. When the 

 king gives an entertainment to foreign viators, this is- 

 made the dancing-room. On thefe occalions it is lighted 

 up with four hundred wax-tapers ; and, from the 

 brilliant reflection of the fhells, it has a very fine 

 effect. — Juft over this is another, in which are hung 

 four extravagantly large paintings, the performances of 

 four of the moft capital french mailers under Lewis XV* 

 The bell of the four, and which is far fuperior to the 

 ethers, is the facrifice of Iphigenia by Carlo Vanloo % 

 in drawing, composition, and colouring, a real mailer- 

 piece. There is a lingular anecdote in relation to this 

 picture. While the palace was finiihing, the king or- 

 dered all four to be executed at Paris % and, as this 

 piece was deftmed to fill up a whole wall by itfelf, it 

 was neceffary to write over to the artiil the exact di- 

 fneniions it was to have. The perfon who had this 

 commiffion forgot exprefHy to mention that the mea- 

 fure of the wall was taken in Rhine-land feet; and 

 Vanloo, who had no other feet in his head than the 

 pied du roi, directed himfelf by* that fcale. After gi- 

 ving the laft. touches to the picture it was fent off to 

 Pctfdam : where, on its arrival, it was found too large, 

 and would by no means fuit the walk This was a fault 

 that admitted of aa remedy but by cutting off a piece 



of 



