The Topographical Evolution of the City of Paris 
Gouache itself was burned with the Hotel de 
Ville in 1871, but is fairly well represented 
bv a set of photographs preserved by the 
Service historique de la Ville. From these, 
as published in the atlas ot the “Histoire 
Generate,” our illustration is taken. The 
Grande Gouache is a free rendering of the 
Tapisserie and somewhat modernized, but is 
a superb picture of the city at the dawn of 
the Renaissance. In this map the 
enceinte of Philippe-Auguste has 
disappeared, rather suddenly, on 
the north side ; otherwise it does 
not differ essentially from the map 
of Braun. The chief value of the 
Grande Gouache is found in the 
boldness and accuracy with which it 
represents individual monuments. 
There is also an engraving of 
the Tapisserie made under the di¬ 
rection of a celebrated collector and 
amateur, Gaignieres, in 1690. 
Like the Grande Gouache it is a 
free rendering of the Tapisserie, 
but is more conservative, giving an 
earlier impression of the city. 
Quite recently there was dis¬ 
covered in a lot of old plates at 
the library of the University of 
Bale the map ot Paris known as 
the “Plan de Bale,” which is prob¬ 
ably a reproduction of some draw¬ 
ing made by order ot Henry II. 
about 1550 to illustrate a guide or 
“ Description de Paris,” possibly 
the book of Corrozet. In the 
“Plan de Bale” the enceinte of 
Philippe-Auguste on the rive droite 
has, of course, disappeared ; the 
enceinte of Charles V. is in its orig¬ 
inal state ; the Louvre is still the 
chateau of Charles V. The most 
interesting feature is the Hotel de 
Ville, which is in the condition in which the 
reign of Francis I. left it. The sketch of 
the king’s garden at the point of the island is 
suggestive. There is great improvement in 
the condition of the quays. 
The “ Plan de Saint-Victor ” is an etched 
map, originally preserved in the library of 
the Abbey of Saint-Victor, but transferred 
thence to the library of the Arsenal. The 
fine style of the work has led to the belief 
that it was done by Jacques-Androuet du 
Cerceau or one of the engravers employed 
on his books. It represents’ the city at 
the same date as the “Plan de Bale.” 
I he quays and the king’s garden are well 
shown. 
The “ Plan de Belleforest ” is based on 
that of Saint-Victor. It dates from the reign 
of Henry III. and represents the central 
A PORTION OF THE GRANDE GOUACHE-I 597 
portions of the Tuileries begun by Catharine 
de Medici. 
There is much detail in all the maps so 
far given which it would be interesting to 
notice if there were space ; but much more 
important is the fact of their close general 
resemblance. Paris as shown by them is 
still medieval, fortuitous, picturesque. The 
large conceptions of the subsequent period 
have not begun to assert themselves. 
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